The Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O'Connell agreed Tuesday on a multiyear contract extension, closing an unusual chapter and locking down one of the NFL's top young head coaches, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reports.
Terms were not immediately available.
ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported that the Vikings are working on an extension for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Like O'Connell, Adofo-Mensah signed a four-year contract when the Vikings hired him in 2022 and thus has one year remaining on his deal.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/theredzoneorg
Don't forget to follow us on Bluesky at https://theredzone.bsky.social
Like us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/Theredzone.org
O'Connell was displeased after the 2023 season when owners Zygi and Mark Wilf opted against extending his contract, ESPN has reported, at a time when the franchise planned to start over at the quarterback position. Multiple teams were positioning themselves this month to make trade offers if the sides were not able to agree on an extension, as Fox Sports first reported and ESPN later confirmed, given the possibility that O'Connell could always choose to simply work through the expiration of his deal and become a coaching free agent in 2025.
But O'Connell said twice this month that he wanted to remain with the Vikings, and after meeting with the Wilfs last week, he added: "I love our ownership."
O'Connell was not made available for comment Tuesday. In a statement released by the team, he said in part: "It is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings. Holding this prestigious position is something I never take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Wilf family for their unwavering belief in what we are building together."