Mike Sando on KOC Rumors

Makes sense that teams who would offer up draft capital (presumably a lot of it) would know they'd have to offer him more than just the HC position to get him to move.

Do the Vikings have internal issues re: power structures, scope of duties etc...I'm sure there are some as you can expect in any org that big.

But we haven't heard of any "significant issues" that need addressing or need to be solved.

The record the last 3 years is good - relative to a lot of the league.
The drafts have been shitty (hopefully JJM/Turner turn out).
They havent won a playoff game, let alone make a run for a SB.

The Wilfs are quoted speaking happy thoughts in the media, so if that is true, I am not expecting big changes in Eagan.

Wilfs dont want drama, I am expecting both KAM/KOC to be back.

purplefaithful wrote:
Do the Vikings have internal issues re: power structures, scope of duties etc...I'm sure there are some as you can expect in any org that big.

But we haven't heard of any "significant issues" that need addressing or need to be solved.

The record the last 3 years is good - relative to a lot of the league.
The drafts have been shitty (hopefully JJM/Turner turn out).
They havent won a playoff game, let alone make a run for a SB.

The Wilfs are quoted speaking happy thoughts in the media, so if that is true, I am not expecting big changes in Eagan.

Wilfs dont want drama,  I am expecting both KAM/KOC to be back.

Yep. From the outside KO would seem to have everything he wants and yeah if he wants a bigger chair at the table, give it to him. I have no reason to think he'd want to leave until there is one.

StickierBuns wrote:
Don't see KOC as a power grab kind of guy. But I do see this type of story as manufactured horseshit for clicks and views. Let's create the news, spread it, have others talks about it and then it gets 'validated'.

Had a birthday dinner last night and one of the friends that attended was a 26 year veteran news reporter from a Miami ABC affiliate. She said the worst thing ever to happen to news was cable news (CNN) which caused the 24/7 news cycle....this caused news agencies to search high and low for content, which much just ends up being created or manufactured. Same with sports news. It also put true investigative reporting on the sidelines because it just takes too long to vet out.

I'm not sure why the idea that Kevin O'Connell could draw interest from other NFL teams is manufactured horseshit. Is it really that hard to believe? 

But I agree with your friend. 24-hour news created a monster. An insatiable appetite to create and consume content. We're all guilty of it to one degree or another. But the thing that bugs me most is that it also fostered a desire in people to create, consume and BELIEVE the most ridiculous conspiracy theories you can imagine. When the truth isn't exciting enough, just make something up and give it the headline "YOU ARE NOT BEING TOLD THE TRUTH" and there are literally millions of morons who will lap it up...even PAY you to lie to them.  It's a fucked up time.

Give me back the good olde days of real news reporting....

Will Ragatz
@WillRagatz
Kevin O’Connell on the rumors that teams could try to trade for him:

"I'm not really interested in addressing the rumors or speculation. What I can tell you is I love this team, I love everything about this organization, and this is where I want to be. This is where I want to keep coaching and leading."

2:41 PM · Jan 6, 2025

3,384 Views

But … like why?

Why not say that they could trade for Ben Johnson or McVay or Harbaugh or whoever?

Theoretically any team can think about trading for any coach, but how many coaches have been traded in history?

There’s a better chance that the Wilfs buy me and this “Senior Writer” matching purple and gold Ferraris than there is that KOC gets traded.

Or for that matter JJ. Would every team in the league have some interest in trading for JJ if the price was right? Absolutely. Is there any chance of us trading JJ. No. Is there any team actually calling us and asking us what our price is for either JJ or KOC? No.

And yeah, it does feel like this sometimes.

Leighton Glodek
@LGlodek
·
Jan 5
Every time the Vikings have success, the media attempts to undermine it all.

*Justin Jefferson is being traded
*JJ McCarthy is being traded
*KOC IS BEING TRADED!?

I also believe that KAM has contemplated trading for Andy Reid, Mahomes, and Kelce/Swift as a combo trade for a guaranteed SB. He just needs to figure out how many buildings the Wilfs need to sell and if it's considered trafficking if they come from Kansas City, to make this trade happen. Somebody let a "Senior Writer" know GMs have this on the table.

With what KOC is doing with QBs, of course teams will want to have him. That is an organization wish is to have coaches that do well with QBs. Considering that they will make or break any organization, staff, and team as a whole.

KOC's agent is wise. Send out the signal teams want to trade for him. KOC is good.. but traded?? Come on man, you got Mossed!

Just for reference, All the coaches that have been traded:
https://www.fanduel.com/research/theduel/how-many-nfl-coaches-have-been-traded-history-of-coach-trades-involving-draft-picks-01gr6wd1wvn4/

The two most recent ones, the HC retired before completing their existing contracts and then going to another team.

1970
Coach involved: Don Shula
Compensation: Miami Dolphins trade first-round pick to Baltimore Colts
Result: Shula helped Miami win two Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973, including the NFL's only perfect season in league history
1997
Coach involved: Bill Parcells
Compensation: New York Jets trade first-, second-, third- and fourth-round picks to New England Patriots
Result: Parcells' Jets went to the playoffs once in three seasons, losing in the AFC Championship in 1998
1999

Coach involved: Mike Holmgren
Compensation: Seattle Seahawks trade second-round pick to Green Bay Packers
Result: Seattle made the playoffs six times under Holmgren, including a Super Bowl appearance during the 2005 season
2000

Coach involved: Bill Belichick
Compensation: Patriots trade first-, fourth- and fifth-round pick to Jets
Result: Belichick has spent the past 23 seasons in New England, winning six Super Bowls along the way
2002

Coach involved: Jon Gruden
Compensation: Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade two first-round picks and $8 million to Oakland Raiders
Result: Gruden won the Super Bowl in his very first season leading the Bucs and departed in 2008
2006

Coach involved: Herm Edwards
Compensation: Kansas City Chiefs trade fourth-round pick to Jets
Result: Edwards went a dismal 15-33 in seasons as the Chiefs' HC before being fired
2019

Coach involved: Bruce Arians
Compensation: Buccaneers trade sixth-round pick to Arizona Cardinals
Result: Arians went on to win the Super Bowl in his second season at the helm, retired in 2021 after his second postseason appearance with Tampa Bay
2023

Coach involved: Sean Payton
Compensation: Denver Broncos trade first- and third-round pick to New Orleans Saints
Result: TBD

So of you are a HC, why would you want to be traded to a franchise that is likely in trouble ( why dont they already have a HC if they arent in trouble?) And now they will be missing some premium draft picks the next few years to help you get them back to looking like a real franchise.

This just doesnt make much sense IMO for KOC to ever accept such a fate. Also why would a team trade for him when they can just give his agent terms for their offer as soon as he is available, i dont think FA rules apply to coaches do they?

JimmyinSD wrote:
So of you are a HC,  why would you want to be traded to a franchise that is likely in trouble ( why dont they already have a HC if they arent in trouble?)  And now they will be missing some premium draft picks the next few years to help you get them back to looking like a real franchise. 

This just doesnt make much sense IMO for KOC to ever accept such a fate.  Also why would a team trade for him when they can just give his agent terms for their offer as soon as he is available,  i dont think FA rules apply to coaches do they?

I think there is some tampering rules for coaches, so you can't talk to a coach before they're fired.  I don't know why they wouldn't just wait until they were fired.  Payton and Arians make sense, they retired while still being under contract.  Like were the Jets really going to keep Herm Edwards, but a 4th rounder was enough to get the deal done? 

Only thing that really makes sense is that KOC's agent is stoking the fire to up his price a bit.

medaille wrote:
I also believe that KAM has contemplated trading for Andy Reid, Mahomes, and Kelce/Swift as a combo trade for a guaranteed SB.  He just needs to figure out how many buildings the Wilfs need to sell and if it's considered trafficking if they come from Kansas City, to make this trade happen.  Somebody let a "Senior Writer" know GMs have this on the table.

Heard that as well. The trade cratered when the Chiefs insisted on including Britney in the deal....

O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah, who are under contract through the 2025 season, expressed Thursday how much they appreciate being with the Vikings.

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are entering contract years in 2025. Both said at their season-ending news conferences that they’ve had positive dialogue with the Wilfs recently.

“We did share time after the season like we always do,” Adofo-Mensah said. “They expressed to me their appreciation for Kevin and I’s leadership. They’re really supportive of us. My third year, I’ll always think back to the incredible opportunity they gave me. I always dreamt of being a general manager in an organization that is trying to do the thing they haven’t done before ‚and I still have visions and I wake up in the morning and think of what that could be like.

“ I don’t really wake up thinking about stuff like that,” he added. “I was at a Minnesota football game earlier this year and somebody was like, ‘Good luck with the contract!’ It kind of woke me up because it’s not how I live my life. I don’t think I’m entitled to anything. If I signed that contract tomorrow, I’d be running scared always trying to earn it. ...

I’m unbelievably grateful to be the general manager of the Vikings and I want to continue to be so. Whatever comes in the future will come.”

Adofo-Mensah has overseen a large roster overhaul that has left just 11 players, including receiver Justin Jefferson and left tackle Christian Darrisaw, from the team he inherited. The Vikings’ 14-win season was built largely on his most recent free-agent class, led by quarterback Sam Darnold, linebacker Blake Cashman, and edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.

But the Vikings’ draft history under Adofo-Mensah has been spottier. Just half of his 2022 and 2023 draft classes remain with the team, and that includes second-round guard Ed Ingram, who was benched this season, and seldom-used, third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah II. The Vikings currently hold just three picks in this year’s NFL draft.

O’Connell’s teams have a 34-17 record during his three seasons as Vikings head coach, and most recently became the third coach in league history with multiple 13-win seasons in their first three years with a team. While the Vikings had their largest point differential (+100) this season since the 2019 team that last won a playoff game, they’re still searching for their first playoff win under O’Connell following Monday night’s loss to the Rams.

“I’ve had great dialogue with our ownership,” O’Connell said. “Anything beyond that, I’d prefer to keep those discussions internal. ... What I’d say is I love being the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. ... I love our ownership. I have a great relationship with our ownership. Feel so fortunate not only the way they support us and believe in us, but also the impact they have on our players, on our locker room, and ultimately where we all want to go together. Feel very, very great about that.”

Startribune

Kwesi and KO had this season where the experts predicted 6 wins and, with a backup, failed QB, won 14 games. Back up QB! Think about that. Yet there are people blaming KO and through extension, Kwesi, for losing in the playoffs.
I'm very excited about the future of this team, especially if Flores stays. This is the first time in a long time where I felt they had the ability to be competitive long term. There will probably be a learning year with JJM next year, but I think they become competitive in short order as they add pieces to an already good roster.
I loved the Vikings through out the late sixties and seventies because every year they were good and seemed to have a chance.
They were that good because they had great coaches like Bud Grant and Jerry Burns and great players.
I think they now have great coaches and great core of players they can add to build on for a couple of years.
Yeah they lost in the playoffs like a lot of Vikings teams before them. But I see a bright future I haven't seen for a long time!

hogjowlsjohnny wrote:
Kwesi and KO had this season where the experts predicted 6 wins and, with a backup, failed QB, won 14 games. Back up QB! Think about that. Yet there are people blaming KO and through extension, Kwesi, for losing in the playoffs. I'm very excited about the future of this team, especially if Flores stays. This is the first time in a long time where I felt they had the ability to be competitive long term. There will probably be a learning year with JJM next year, but I think they become competitive in short order as they add pieces to an already good roster. I loved the Vikings through out the late sixties and seventies because every year they were good and seemed to have a chance. They were that good because they had great coaches like Bud Grant and Jerry Burns and great players. I think they now have great coaches and great core of players they can add to build on for a couple of years. Yeah they lost in the playoffs like a lot of Vikings teams before them. But I see a bright future I haven't seen for a long time!

That's the thing. 31 teams end the season depressed, but not many of them are sitting as pretty as the Vikings.  

How'd you like to be the Steelers or the Saints or the Raiders or the Browns or the Titans right now? The cupboard is bare. We have great ownership and great leadership. Our coaching, culture, stadium and facilities are the envy of the NFL. We just drafted our QBOTF and we have $70M burning a hole in our pocket to spend on adding players to an already strong core that includes Pro-Bowl level players at several positions... Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson, Darrisaw, O'Neill, Greenard, Gink, Cashman, Pace....

There's no doubt about it, it's an exciting time to be a Viking fan.