You’d be hard-pressed to find a Vikings fan who isn’t happy with the job Kevin O’Connell has done since taking over as head coach in 2022. His ability to inspire his team and get the best out of his players speaks volumes about his leadership and the culture he’s built in Minnesota.
At just 39 years old, O’Connell earned major recognition in 2024, winning both the Pro Football Writers Association’s Head Coach of the Year and the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year awards. But despite those accolades, not everyone is convinced he belongs among the league’s elite.
Recently, Mike Fanelli of Rotoballer released his rankings of NFL head coaches heading into the 2025 season. Many Vikings fans would expect O’Connell to land comfortably inside the top 10—if not the top 5—but Fanelli ranked him just outside at No. 11.
“There might not be a more underrated coach in the NFL than O’Connell,” Fanelli wrote. “The Vikings have a 34-17 record during his three seasons, winning 13 or more games twice—including last year with Sam Darnold at quarterback.”
For a coach with 34 wins in his first 51 games and who’s consistently gotten solid performances from quarterbacks others had written off, being labeled “underrated” seems almost like an understatement.
Interestingly, the list places O’Connell behind some well-regarded coaches like Dan Campbell and Nick Sirianni, but also ahead of him are names like Pete Carroll and Mike Tomlin—who may be benefiting more from their past accomplishments than recent success.
Power rankings like these always stir debate and shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but leaving a reigning Coach of the Year out of the top 10 is sure to raise some eyebrows—especially among Vikings faithful.
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