The Minnesota Vikings did exactly what they needed to do just eight days after their season ended against the Los Angeles Rams when they extended head coach Kevin O'Connell.

The rumors about the tension between ownership and O'Connell along with him being traded didn't come to fruition either. The contract extension coming so quickly shows how seriously the Vikings took the issue. 

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Kevin O'Connell's contract leaves more questions than answers

The quickness that the Vikings and O'Connell got this done sent a bold statement to the rest of the National Football League that he wasn't going anywhere. It turns out that it was even quicker than initially believed.

The Star Tribune's Ben Goessling had an interesting tidbit on the timing of the contract, as it was agreed upon over the weekend.

The team announced the deal Tuesday, eight days after the end of the Vikings’ season, locking up the 39-year-old coach whose contract was set to expire after the 2025 season. Owner Mark Wilf told the Minnesota Star Tribune in December the Vikings planned to start extension talks with O’Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after the season. They reached a deal with O’Connell over the weekend, and a source said the Vikings are in discussions with Adofo-Mensah on an extension as well.

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This is interesting, but it makes complete sense. The Vikings waited on announcing the extension of wide receiver Justin Jefferson until Monday morning so they could give him the entire week's media cycle. Waiting for the end of the divisional round and presidential inauguration shows that they gave the same to O'Connell.

Not only have the Vikings have extended O'Connell for the foreseeable future, but that element is currently in question.

O'Connell's contract was announced as a multi-year extension. There were no details released about how many years and how much money it's for. New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is rumored to have gotten $13 million per year, so it wouldn't be surprising that O'Connell got more than that. Goessling didn't have any details on the contract but did have a guess on how long the contract is.

Everybody I've asked is being quiet about it for now. Team isn't required to release any details. My guess would be another three years, to extend him through 2028, but that's just an educated guess based on what they've done in the past, not anything I've heard.

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) January 22, 2025

Whatever the contract is, the Vikings are in a better spot with O'Connell here long-term and the Vikings are doing a great job as an organization.

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