Kevin O'Connell mic'd up clips show impact of his positive coaching style

O'Connell's belief in his players goes a long way, as evidenced by Sam Darnold's season.

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. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Heading into the game of the year on Sunday night, Kevin O'Connell is the heavy favorite to win the NFL's coach of the year award. What he's been able to do — winning 14 games, with a chance at a 15th — at the helm of a Vikings team that came into this season with virtually no external expectations has been nothing short of remarkable. Since being hired by Minnesota in 2022, O'Connell has gone 34-17 and established himself as one of the best head coaches in football.

A lot of that certainly has to do with his offensive acumen. From offseason scheme installs to game-planning and play-calling, O'Connell is excellent at finding ways to score points. But it goes well beyond that. At the core of what makes him a great coach is his leadership on a daily basis. And that element starts with the way he loves his players and lifts them up by expressing his belief in them.

A couple clips of a mic'd up O'Connell from last Sunday's win over the Packers serve as great examples of that. Take a look at this moment between KOC and Sam Darnold, the quarterback whose career he helped resurrect this season.

"Alright Sam, hey, step away for a sec," O'Connell said to Darnold via his headset. "Hey, so you're playing your absolute ass off. Work smart right here. Get these guys, walk into this huddle and tell them it's about execution and let's put these guys away right now, alright? Physicality, ball security, finish. Keep making great decisions, man, you're f***ing balling. I'm so freaking proud of you, man."

This. This right here. 💜💛

📺: https://t.co/NlaYsPuAUF pic.twitter.com/OwLLqSVg1e

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 2, 2025

It might not seem like much, but that kind of thing matters. Why has Darnold gone from afterthought to Pro Bowl quarterback this season? First and foremost, because he's thrived in a great opportunity and tapped into the talent that he always possessed. But it's also because he has an incredible coach who truly believes in him and has poured into him every day since the spring. The confidence that comes with that kind of belief and positivity has manifested itself in Darnold's play.

O'Connell is like that with every player on the roster. After rookie kicker Will Reichard missed his second field goal of the day against the Packers, O'Connell made sure to talk to him (the clip is at the 10:08 mark in this video).

"Get that look off your face, man," he said. "You're gonna be kicking game-winners the whole playoffs. You with me?"

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