If anyone should be on alert after the Bills‘ firing of Sean McDermott, it’s Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Early on Monday, the Bills shocked the NFL landscape by parting ways with head coach Sean McDermott. The firing came two days after Buffalo was ousted from the playoffs by the Denver Broncos.
The Bills have been a constant contender with McDermott at the helm. Unfortunately for the Bills, they came up in the era of Patrick Mahomes. Buffalo boasted an 0-4 record against Patrick Mahomes in the Allen-McDermott era.
McDermott finished his tenure in Buffalo with a 98-50 record in the regular season. He also possessed an 8-8 playoff record.
If head coaches of this stature are getting let go, along with the likes of John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin, what does the future spell for Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell?
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Now Facing the Heat
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Kevin O’Connell is heading into year 5 as Vikings’ head coach, and has no playoff wins to show for it. Of course, this doesn’t mean he’s a bad head coach. However, Sean McDermott has won a playoff game with the Bills in each of the last six seasons.
McDermott may have just out-stayed his welcome in Orchard Park in the eyes of ownership. He was hired to the Bills in January of 2017, and made playoff appearances in 8 of his 9 years at the helm.
O’Connell has two playoff appearances under his belt, both losses to the Giants and Rams. Your welcome becomes out-stayed much quicker when you aren’t appearing to the dance consistently, especially without a date.
This isn’t to say Kevin O’Connell is on the hot seat, or that the Vikings run their organization like the Bills. However, seeing that a legitimate contender of the 2020’s in firing a good head coach and promoting the general manager that didn’t build a great roster (sound familiar?), everything is on the table on the NFL.
Minnesota Misses Out on Top Offensive Line Coach Candidate
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Vikings recently decided to decline a contract extension for offensive line coach Chris Kuper.
As for replacement candidates, Adam Patrick of The Viking Age reported the Vikings missing out on Bill Callahan.
“According to NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo on Sunday, Callahan is expected to join the Atlanta Falcons as their new offensive line coach following the team’s announcement on Saturday that former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski has been hired as the Falcons’ new head coach
Callahan had previously worked with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell when both were members of the Washington Commanders‘ coaching staff from 2017 to 2019. But instead of reuniting with O’Connell, the veteran offensive line coach will join Stefanski in Atlanta.”
Callahan was the cream of the crop of Vikings’ offensive line coach candidates. However, Dwayne Ledford’s success in Atlanta could get him some looks as Kuper’s successor with a talented offensive line in Minnesota.
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Should Take McDermott Firing as a Warning