The NFL playoffs are chock-full of respected leaders, from Super Bowl winners like Andy Reid and Sean McVay to aspiring champions like Dan Campbell and Sean McDermott. Hall of Fame and title-winning quarterback Peyton Manning likes one coach above the rest of those still standing, however.
His favorite: the Minnesota Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell.
“I have a lot of respect for the way he coaches,” Manning told ESPN when asked which playoff coach he’d most like to play for. “It’s about the players. It’s about [him] putting them in a position to succeed. … He’s got no ego. I think he’s a dynamic play-caller. … It’s been fun to see [Sam Darnold’s] success [with him].”
O’Connell’s track record certainly warrants Manning’s endorsement. In just three seasons as the Vikings’ head coach, the former Los Angeles Rams assistant has already led Minnesota to a pair of 13-win seasons, coming within one victory of tying the franchise’s all-time single-season record (15) in 2024. He’s also helped the ex-New York Jets castoff Darnold, and Kirk Cousins before him, deliver career marks under center.
O’Connell’s first playoff bid as a head coach came in 2022, when his Vikings fell to the New York Giants in the wild-card round. He’s looking to best McVay, his former mentor, and the Rams on Monday night.
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