Vikings Players Send Strong Message on HC Kevin O’Connell in New Survey

Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings slipped one spot in the NFLPA’s annual player survey, falling from the top-ranked organization to No. 2 behind the Miami Dolphins. One area they got right, though, is head coach with Kevin O’Connell also finishing second.

He ranked behind only Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs, who has a far longer track record.

“Minnesota, along with Miami, have separated themselves into their own tier in terms of what it means to run a world-class NFL workplace,” the NFLPA said in the survey published on February 28. “The players give high ratings to Kevin O’Connell, making him the second highest ranked head coach in the NFL”

• 98% of players feel Kevin O’Connell is efficient with their time (5th overall)
• The players believe Kevin O’Connell is very willing to listen to the locker room (1st overall)

The Vikings finished in the top 10 in every category, with their lowest marks coming in the Food/Cafeteria, Weight Room, and Training Staff categories. They finished seventh, eighth, and ninth in each of those categories.

“The Vikings continue to impress across all categories in our second annual survey,” the NFLPA said. Their facilities are incredible; their staff is rated highly by players; and the workplace experience for Vikings players is enhanced by the continued commitment by ownership to providing a world-class experience for players.”

Vikings Ownership Gets Boost in Survey for Willingness to Spend

GettyCo-owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings have a 143-164 record under owner Zygi Wilf (20-14 under O’Connell), who has owned the team since 2005. That .466 winning percentage ranks 12th in the NFL in that span, per Stathead, with seven trips to the postseason in his 19-year run.

But Wilf has put a lot of time, effort, and money into upgrading the team’s facilities.

“Club owner Zygi Wilf receives a rating of 9.7/10 from Vikings players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities (2nd overall),” reads the survey entry on Wilf.

The Wilf family — on top of hiring O’Connell — spent $1.1 billion on U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings home that opened in 2016. Another $90 million went into the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, their practice facility in Eagan, Minnesota in 2018.

This was all part of the family’s vision when taking over.

“Obviously, the number one driver is championships,” team president Mark Wilf said during an appearance at the “Dealmakers in Sports” conference in 2018. “But we wanted to be a first-class, family-oriented organization. And that means winning championships, getting the fan experience … and also be part of the community.

“We think we’ve elevated it to a first-class and really one of the finest franchises.”

Kevin O’Connell Can’t Mask Vikings’ Areas of Needed Improvement

GettyHarrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings’ training staff score is largely dragged down by numbers, with 88% of players feeling as though they receive enough one-on-one treatment, 13th in the league. Players also felt staff only “moderately” contributed to their on-field success, ranking them ninth.

Minnesota’s only other non-A grade came in the cafeteria, where they ranked seventh in both food freshness and taste.

Both grades are slight drops from the NFLPA’s 2023 survey.

For all of their financial investment and lip service, the Wilfs have one thing left to do with the Vikings, and O’Connell for that matter. That is winning a Super Bowl. They have not been particularly close lately, with one postseason appearance in the last four seasons.