KOC ~ As Involved in GM Search as Ownership Wants

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/kevin-oconnell-will-be-as-involved-in-the-g-m-search-as-ownership-wants

On Friday, the coach was asked about the search.

“First and foremost, just out of respect for the process, it’s currently ongoing, you know, I would defer . . . everything to ownership, and [Vikings COO] Andrew Miller as that process is ongoing,” Kevin O’Connell said. “I’m excited for potentially forming that relationship, going through the process, and as much of a part as ownership and Andrew want me to be a part of it, I will. . . . [V]ery much looking forward to a great outcome, which I know we’re gonna get.”

O’Connell was asked whether he’ll be talking to the candidates to be interviewed by the organization.

“In whatever capacity that ownership and Andrew have for me as their plan, that’s what I’m gonna do,” O’Connell said. “You know, obviously, it’s an important time. It’s important. It’s clearly an important hire, but I have so much respect in the process-driven, the process-oriented aspect of not only our ownership, but Andrew Miller, that I know we’re gonna get to that good outcome.”

It’s definitely important. And it’s critical that the new General Manager and O’Connell will be fully aligned. It needs to be a team effort. The G.M. must acquire players the coaching staff wants, and keep the players the coaching staff needs. There needs to be little or no daylight between the G.M. and coach.

The biggest question is whether the new G.M. will report to O’Connell, whether O’Connell will report to the new G.M., or whether they’ll be deemed as equal in the eyes of ownership.

Regardless, O’Connell is the proven commodity. He has a record of 43-25 in four seasons, with a 13-win season in 2022 and a 14-win effort in 2024. And he did it with a G.M. whom ownership decided to fire after the 2025 season.

The best organizations have a G.M. and coach who are fully on the same page. When adversity strikes (and it will), they need to work even more closely together. For some teams, losing results in finger pointing and infighting. The coach blames the G.M., and the G.M. blames the coach. One goes, one stays.

That’s recently happened in Minnesota. Not because the team lost too many games, but because the team has failed to fulfill the potential it has shown since O’Connell became the head coach. That alone should give O’Connell a little more juice going forward.