The Minnesota Vikings are not simply asking Kyler Murray to run Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
O’Connell appears increasingly willing to change the offense for Murray.
Minnesota operated out of the shotgun on 54 snaps during Sunday’s 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, according to The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. That was the Vikings’ highest total in a game since O’Connell became head coach in 2022.
And after reviewing the tape, Lewis found another revealing number: Minnesota ran the football 18 times from the shotgun. The previous single-game high of the O’Connell era was 11.
Those numbers offer perhaps the clearest indication yet that O’Connell is reorienting his scheme around Murray rather than forcing his new quarterback into the structure Minnesota previously preferred.
For a quarterback whose fit in Minnesota has already generated plenty of skepticism, that is a meaningful show of faith.
Vikings Are Changing Their Offense for Kyler Murray
The shotgun itself is hardly foreign to O’Connell’s offense. The degree to which Minnesota leaned on it against Miami is what stands out.
Murray has spent much of his NFL career operating from shotgun and pistol formations, while O’Connell has traditionally incorporated significantly more under-center work.
That difference was apparent as early as training camp.
During one August practice, Murray took 11 of his 18 team snaps from shotgun, according to SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad. J.J. McCarthy, by comparison, took 14 of his 18 snaps from under center.
Two months later, Minnesota is leaning much harder into Murray’s comfort zone.
The 54 shotgun snaps against Miami were not simply the product of throwing the ball repeatedly while chasing points, either. Minnesota won throughout the afternoon and remained committed to running from the formation, with those 18 shotgun rushing attempts representing their own O’Connell-era high.
That makes the shift look much more intentional.
O’Connell isn’t merely tolerating Murray’s preferred style. He is increasingly building around it.
Kyler Murray Still Has Plenty to Prove With Vikings
The change does not mean Minnesota suddenly solved its offensive problems.
Far from it.
The Vikings improved to 4-0 by beating Miami, but the offense failed to score a touchdown. Murray finished 27-of-37 for 247 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions, while taking four sacks.
Minnesota instead relied on five Will Reichard field goals in the 15-10 victory.
That performance only adds to the unusual dynamic surrounding Murray.
The Vikings keep winning. The offense remains a work in progress.
The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Chip Scoggins wrote after Sunday’s game that the “Kyler Murray experiment” has yet to inspire much confidence among fans, noting the boos that followed several stalled Minnesota possessions.
O’Connell, however, is providing a different kind of answer through his playbook.
Rather than retreating toward what his offense looked like before Murray arrived, he is moving further toward what suits Murray.
The results still need to follow.
But 54 shotgun snaps — plus an unprecedented commitment to running from the formation — suggest the Vikings have made a significant decision about how they intend to get there.
They are giving Murray an offense that looks increasingly like his own.
Kevin O’Connell’s Big Change Sends Clear Message About Kyler Murray