Why Rich Eisen believes the Vikings are 'for real'

It comes back to Kevin O'Connell's introductory press conference.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reacts with head coach Kevin O'Connell during practice at Vikings training camp in Eagan, Minn., on Aug. 3, 2024. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Rich Eisen is convinced the 2024-25 Minnesota Vikings are for real, and if he wasn't sure before, he fully bought in after hearing about Justin Jefferson's first question for Kevin O'Connell when he was hired as coach ahead of the 2022 season.

Eisen, who's been spending some time with the Vikings over in London as they're preparing to take on the New York Jets on Sunday, said on the Rich Eisen Show on Friday that he asked O'Connell for his favorite memory of Jefferson.

That brought O'Connell all the way back to his introductory press conference.

When O'Connell got off the stage after fielding questions from media members, a Vikings staff member handed him a phone for a FaceTime call with Jefferson, who immediately asked O'Connell, who was the offensive coordinator with the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams the year prior, why Rams star wide receiver Cooper Kupp was always wide open.

O'Connell explained that rather than limit Kupp to one receiver position, they line him up everywhere — from the Z to the X to the Y. O'Connell said Kupp knew every route on every play from every position. Jefferson almost exclusively played on the outside during the Mike Zimmer regime, so that was something he hadn't experienced. It sounded challenging.

💻 @richeisen

Our humble host is in London and talked to @Vikings players/coaches today — #SKOL is for real, people:#NFL #NYJvsMIN pic.twitter.com/Le3nreizHb

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) October 4, 2024

O'Connell told him that it is difficult, and asked if that's something Jefferson wanted to do with the Vikings. Jefferson did, and the rest is history. But that not only applies to Jefferson. Because Jefferson can line up at any receiver position, the rest of the receiving corps has to know all the positions, too. That allows O'Connell to get really creative calling plays.

It's that type of coaching and play calling that has Eisen buying into the Vikings. It's the complex systems O'Connell runs that he's able to simplify and players execute a peak efficiency. The 4-0 record isn't by chance, it's been choreographed.

"The Vikings are for real. This isn't a fluke," Eisen said. "This is actually the product of (a) terrific coaching staff in place, of a terrific front office that has placed very high-IQ players in the hands of a very high-IQ coach, who can have a very intricate system. And that's on both sides of the ball as well, I might add. Very intricate systems that they are very good at simplifying for their players, with multiple options based on looks that they see in front of them. And because it's simplified in such a way, it allows these players to play faster and freer."