Where Does Kevin O'Connell Rank Among NFL Head Coaches After 1 Year?
Objectively, Kevin O'Connell's first season as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings was a major success. The team won 13 games, going 11-0 in one-score contests, and claimed the NFC North title for the first time in six years. Perhaps more importantly, O'Connell helped change the culture around the facility and established the foundation of what he and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are trying to build.
With that said, it was just one season — and a weird one at that. The Vikings managed to have a negative point differential despite their 13-4 record, and their season ended with a whimper when they lost to the Giants at home in the first round of the playoffs.
When looking at some NFL head coach rankings from across the internet this offseason, it's clear that national analysts liked what O'Connell did in year one but also need to see a lot more.
Here's where they ranked him:
No. 17 — Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
His friendly aura was instantly a good fit for Minnesota (and a locker room coming off Mike Zimmer's tenure), and his more contemporary offensive approach wisely allowed Kirk Cousins to keep slinging it, feeding Justin Jefferson and keeping the club more resilient than expected. With a transitioning roster, however, it'll be tough for him to replicate, let alone build off, his debut.
No. 21 — Dalton Miller, Pro Football Network
Kevin O’Connell changed the culture in Minnesota, helping the Vikings move on from the dour atmosphere former head coach Mike Zimmer left behind. But it’s still unclear how good the Vikings actually are. Minnesota went 11-0 in one-score games and finished with a negative point differential. O’Connell deserves any and all praise, but he’ll have to prove it again in 2023.
No. 15 — Ross Tucker, The 33rd Team
Again only a one-year sample, but O’Connell went 13-4 and seemingly won every single close game the entire season, so he must be doing something right with his late-game coaching decisions.
No. 20 — Ryan McCrystal, Sharp Football Analytics
Kevin O’Connell impressed in his first season, winning 13 games and jumping eight spots in our rankings as a result. This year could be tougher on O’Connell, who has to navigate the ninth-hardest schedule with a rebuilding defense.
I think that's a reasonable range for O'Connell. He deserves a lot of credit for his offensive acumen and emphasis on "situational masters," which helped the Vikings win a lot of football games. He also clearly gets along well with players and knows how to foster a positive locker room environment.
Defense will be a big focus in 2023, and O'Connell took an important step by replacing Ed Donatell with Brian Flores at coordinator. Additionally, he needs to continue evolving his offense so it can become more consistent over the course of games and seasons.
If the semi-rebuilding Vikings can defy the odds and win at least ten games again this season, O'Connell may warrant some consideration as a top-ten head coach. We'll see.
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