Kevin O’Connell NFL Coach of the Year Odds Skyrocketing

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Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are one of the best teams in the NFL, through three regular season games. How? Because they have been better than their opponents in every facet, through three games. On offense, head coach Kevin O’Connell has completely changed how the league views Sam Darnold.

At the snap of a finger, Sam has gone from a first round bust to a good quarterback that the New York Jets nearly ruined. The transformation has been incredible to watch, in real time. Nobody… and I mean NOBODY in the Vikings fanbase was excited when the 27-year-old “bust” signed this offseason.

The resurrection of Sam Darnold

The most positive outlooks saw Darnold as a better than average bridge option for the Vikings. If things wen well, maybe he could stick around the league as a career backup, for awhile. Remember, the Minnesota Vikings did not have a QB, at the time. Kirk Cousins had already left for Atlanta and JJ McCarthy had yet to be drafted.

Just a handful of months later, the former USC stud leads the league in touchdown passes (8) and touchdown percentage (10.3%). Oh, and the Vikings are undefeated. This world is not always what you think. Sam Darnold in 2024 is proof of that. He currently holds a 67% completion rate, easily the highest of his career. His 8 touchdowns lead the NFL, but his 3 INTs are just as impressive.

Like most situations, there is a lot of context that goes into Sam’s 2024 success story. Of course, Kevin O’Connell is at the top of that list, when it comes to the Vikings success through three games, but especially Darnold’s.

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is HIM

His ability to scheme receivers open is one thing. A lot of offensive NFL minds can do that. Maybe not as well as KOC, but that’s not the point. O’Connell knows X’s and O’s, but it’s his ability to connect with his players, especially his quarterbacks, that is most impressive.

There are a lot of reasons why the Minnesota Vikings rank near the top of the NFLPA player polls each year. Not one person can make an organization as big as the Vikings work properly. But KOC was hired as the main piece to a changing culture at TCO Performance Center, after Mike Zimmer was fired.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Give Sam Darnold Injury Update

And once they brought him one, it’s like everything changed overnight. Now, after a couple of offseasons to put together his staff, along with more hand-picked talent, pretty much everything he’s touching is turning into gold. Brian Flores, Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones and (hopefully) JJ McCarthy. The dude just doesn’t miss, right now.

KOC for NFL Coach of the Year…?

But after his work with Darnold, combined with a 3-0 start, others are starting to take notice. In just days, O’Connell has gone from an NFL Coach of the Year underdog to the COY favorite. Hat tip to my friends at The Purple Persuasion for catching this.

NFL CoachCOY Odds (DK)
Kevin O’Connell+350
Mike Macdonald+500
Jim Harbaugh+900
Mike Tomlin+1000
Matt LaFleur+1100
DraftKings

KOC has been there, he’s done that. Kevin O’Connell was a day two draft pick. He was cut or traded nearly a dozen different times, in his short NFL career. He dealt with good coaches and bad coaches.

But unlike others in his shoes, the Vikings’ 3rd year head coach has found a way to channel that into his coaching philosophy in a way that spoon feeds, not just his players, but coaches too. There isn’t a soul in TCO Performance Center who doesn not trust what O’Connell is doing in Minnesota.

Related: The Minnesota Vikings MVP Nobody is Talking About

His style is so genuine, so disarming, that those around him can’t help but vibe off his positive energy. And when it is time to earn his respect, whether that be getting in a player’s face or scheming up a big time play, he answers the bell every time.

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