Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a strong reputation within the NFL media, but he caught some criticism recently for perhaps being too honest on the topic of new starting quarterback Kyler Murray — particularly with regards to Murray’s physical stature.
Myron Medcalf of ESPN appeared on the Friday, August 21 edition of “First Take” and lambasted O’Connell for saying publicly that Murray is too short to see over the offensive line, which obviously implies a negative that the staff and unit as a whole must compensate for by making changes to the scheme and how they execute it.
“I need to start a PR crisis firm for NFL coaches and just tell them: here’s the thing you can not say in this situation,” Medcalf said. “You can not say that your 5’10” quarterback can’t see over the line. Maybe it’s true, maybe every one in training camp knows it. Maybe Kyler Murray is telling all of his teammates he can’t see. You can not tell the public that that’s the situation with Kyler Murray.”
Medcalf added that saying the quiet part out loud, specifically when it’s done by someone in O’Connell’s prominent position within the organization, creates unwanted and undue external noise that the team must then navigate.
“Kevin O’Connell is too smart for that. He’s seasoned, he’s a veteran,” Medcalf continued. “Everything is gonna be about Kyler Murray’s durability, his size. Say anything but that — your quarterback can not see over the offensive line. Because it’s only gonna encourage the narrative about whether or not Kyler Murray is the guy, whether or not he’s big enough in an era of giant quarterbacks.”
Kyler Murray Predicted to Get Longterm Contract From Vikings if He Excels This Year
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray.
Too short or not, if things end up working out with Murray in Minnesota this year, ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes the team will ink him to a multiyear contract to return.
“As with every QB other than [JJ] McCarthy who has played for Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota, if Murray plays well and has the Vikings in playoff contention, haunted by the memory of what happened after they let Sam Darnold leave as a free agent following the 2024 season, the Vikings make a strong push to re-sign Murray to a long-term deal ahead of his free agency,” Graziano said.
One can argue whether that is actually the best outcome for the Vikings, given that Murray is undersized, has a meaningful injury history and will turn 30 years old in 2027. In other words, even if Murray is great in 2026, he could still prove a liability for Minnesota longterm.
Kevin O’Connell Needs to Succeed With Kyler Murray to Avoid Hot Seat in Minnesota
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The alternative, however, is probably worse — at least for the team’s fans and O’Connell himself.
If Murray fails for whatever reason, and McCarthy can’t step back into the starting role and make things happen, the Vikings will probably miss the playoffs for the second season in a row and third time in O’Connell’s five years at the helm.
That could be enough cause for new general manager Nolan Teasley to pull the plug on the whole thing by firing O’Connell, trading McCarthy and letting Murray enter free agency next spring before hiring a new head coach with a new vision at quarterback.
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell Bashed for Kyler Murray Comments