Sunday's surprising report cast a cloud of uncertainty over the future of the Vikings as they prepare for the NFL playoffs.
Jay Glazer reported on “Fox NFL Sunday'' that multiple teams are interested in trading for 39-year-old manager Kevin O'Connell this offseason as he enters the final year of his contract.
O'Connell was asked about the report Monday and expressed his desire to remain in Minnesota.
“I would say I'm not really interested in dealing with rumors and speculation,” O'Connell told reporters. “All I can say is I love this team. I love everything about this organization. This is where I want to be. This is where I want to continue to coach and lead. .”
The Vikings' owners, the Wilf family, have “no interest” in trading O'Connell. According to ESPN.
O'Connell sought to distance himself from the Fox Sports report after Sunday night's loss to the Lions, saying his team was preparing to face the Rams in the wild-card round. Detroit clinched the No. 1 seed and the NFC North title with the win.
“[I’m not interested] “In my opinion at this point, this is not a conversation about the Rams or the issues at hand,” O'Connell said, according to ESPN. [Sunday] Not only that, you can also take advantage of the opportunity to participate in tournaments. [That’s] That's my only focus at the moment. ”
The Vikings went 13-4 and won the division championship in O'Connell's first year as head coach in 2022, but lost to the Giants in the wild card round.
They went 7-10 last season after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon, but with the return of Sam Darnold, who threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 17 games, they improved to 14-3 in 2024. It has come back to life.
O'Connell served as the Rams' offensive coordinator for two years before being hired by the Vikings.
The Rams were the only team other than the Lions to beat the Vikings this season.
Their playoff matchup kicks off Monday at 8 p.m.
