Vikings coach tries to clarify 'earned right' comment about Sam Darnold

Kevin O'Connell took an opportunity to try and clarify what he said about Darnold before the Super Bowl.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones' (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O'Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said quarterback Sam Darnold has "earned the right to really explore what it means to be a Pro Bowl quarterback."

On Tuesday, during a radio interview at the NFL Scouting Combine, O'Connell attempted to clarify what he meant when he suggested that Darnold deserves a chance to explore free agency.

"What I meant by that, and I'm glad you asked that," O'Connell began with Paul Allen on KFAN-FM 100.3, "is all I mean by that is, remember something, like, Sam Darnold was a free agent one year ago—and I believe people view him differently now. That's that earned right of going on a wild journey."

"What a year he had. Ultimately, Sam would be the first one to talk about, just like I do, the end didn't match up with maybe how we saw it going down, but that doesn’t change the fact of what he was able to do. And I think people around the league have recognized that, rightly so," O'Connell added. "That's really what I meant by that. Now, the circumstances from now until the start of the league year are obviously going to be important for all of us to figure out the short and long term."

Darnold's future is one of the biggest storylines in the NFL. Multiple teams are in need of a quarterback, and the draft class isn’t believed to be very strong. The Vikings, therefore, sit in a prime position of leverage because they have Darnold and last year's No. 10 overall pick, J.J. McCarthy.

Will they franchise tag Darnold and start him in 2025 to give McCarthy another year of development, or will they simply hand the keys to McCarthy and let Darnold explore free agency? An alternative, and perhaps the best calculated risk the Vikings can take if they trust McCarthy in 2025, is franchise-tagging Darnold and trading him for draft capital.

"There’s a lot of teams who would sign up to trade spots with us right now in regards to their quarterback room in the landscape of both the present and the future," O'Connell told Allen.

Another key component of the radio interview was when Allen asked O'Connell if relationships have to be pushed to the side at this time of year. "Absolutely," O'Connell replied.

The Vikings have until 3 p.m. CT March 4 to franchise-tag Darnold. The clock is ticking, and the intrigue is building with every day that passes.

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