Former Vikings QB praises 'next level' preparation by Kevin O'Connell

Daniel Jones wasn't in Minnesota for a long time, but he learned a lot that has helped propel him to success with the Colts.

Oct 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) passes the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Daniel Jones was part of the Minnesota Vikings for less than two months, but his time with the franchise left a big impression on him before his breakout performance with the Indianapolis Colts this season.

Jones has led the Colts to an impressive 4-1 start, completing 71.3% of his passes for 1,290 yards, nine total touchdowns and three interceptions. He was recently on the Fitz & Whit podcast with ex-players Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth, where he talked about his short time in Minnesota and how it opened his eyes after six years with the Giants.

"I always thought I worked really hard, I tried to work really hard, and it was important for me to prepare; watching film, study. I think I did that," Jones said. "But going to Minnesota, I saw how Sam [Darnold] prepared. I saw how Kevin [O'Connell] prepared those guys, Josh McCown, Grant Udinski, that crew, and how detailed they were, day-in-and-day-out on every little bit of the plan.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones (13) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"How they're going to study it. What they're looking for, walking through it, quizzing each other in the quarterback room. That made a big impression on me: 'this is maybe the next level of some of that stuff.'"

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Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings' coaching staff now have a track record of reviving Jones and Sam Darnold's careers. If you told someone this time last year that Jones would have the third-most passing yards in the NFL with the Colts, they might've looked at you like you were speaking a different language. Jones has led Indianapolis to the highest point differential at +74 through five weeks, and they look like one of the hottest teams in the league.

Seeing Darnold and Jones lead explosive offenses on different teams while Minnesota struggles to find consistent QB play could be frustrating. But Jones' resurgence as a top-half starter is more evidence that O'Connell is the type of coach you want to develop a young quarterback like J.J. McCarthy.

Quarterback development is not always linear. Both Darnold and Jones' careers are proof that it's hard for young signal callers to step in and succeed right away. As McCarthy continues to recover from injury, it's important to be patient. And as O'Connell's QB development track record continues to grow, Vikings fans can only hope that McCarthy is the next to benefit.