The speculation finally came to an end on Wednesday after the Minnesota Vikings officially announced Kevin O’Connell as their next head coach.
Talk of Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay potentially retiring led to the discussion of what would happen if O’Connell was offered an opportunity to stay in Hollywood instead. But fortunately for the Vikings, the situation didn’t end in the worst case scenario.
On Thursday, the team is expected to hold a press conference to officially introduce O’Connell as the new head coach.
“I greatly appreciate the Wilf family, Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] and the entire Minnesota Vikings organization for providing the opportunity to be their next head coach,” O’Connell said in a written statement. “This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. Having been on the visitors’ sideline at U.S. Bank Stadium and experiencing that environment as an opposing coach, I am excited to now have the support of these passionate Vikings fans. I am committed to working tirelessly to bring them a Super Bowl championship.”
That last line is sure to make O’Connell a favorite among a Vikings fan-base still looking for hope at the end of a dark tunnel. Perhaps the Super Bowl-winning O’Connell is the one to finally show them the light.
