Story by
Kevin O’Connell Just Got a Jolt
- Story by
- Kevin O’Connell Just Got a Jolt
Jamie Sabau
Want to know the one NFC North head coach who hasn't won a playoff game? Yes, he's employed by the Minnesota Vikings . His NFC North rivals passed him last weekend, as Kevin O'Connell watched the Chicago Bears topple the Green Bay Packers in a thriller.
When every other NFC North coach has a January win, the conversation shifts — O'Connell's resume now has a visible hole Minnesota needs to fill in 2026.
Advertisement
Now, O'Connell must join the club entering Year No. 5 with the Vikings in 2025.
Kevin O'Connell Comparison to NFC North Coaches Trends South
O'Connell is the only NFC North skipper without a playoff dub.
Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift celebrates with teammates after scoring during second-half action at Soldier Field, Jan 10, 2026, in Chicago. The touchdown capped a momentum swing in the NFC Wild Card matchup against Green Bay, as Chicago leaned on explosive plays to energize the sideline and crowd late in a physical postseason contest. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
CHI Takes Down GB
The Bears did it again. After trailing 21-6, Chicago roared back, downing the Micah Parsons-less Packers at Soldier Field, winning 31-28.
The Associated Press on the win for Chicago, "The Bears envisioned nights like this when they drafted Williams No. 1 overall last year, and when they hired Johnson in the offseason."
"Williams delivered after a shaky start, throwing for 361 yards and the two late touchdowns. He completed 24 of 48 passes and was intercepted twice. Colston Loveland caught eight passes for a career-high 137 yards for the Bears, who had closed the regular season with tight losses to San Francisco and Detroit . The Packers dropped their final five games."
Advertisement
The Bears moved on to the NFC Divisional Round and will take on the Los Angeles Rams this weekend, expected to lose by 3 or 4 points.
Johnson, LaFleur, and Campbell Have All Won in the Postseason
Rack 'em up. These NFC North skippers have postseason triumphs under their belt:
-
Matt LaFleur (3 Playoff Wins)
-
Dan Campbell (2 Playoff Wins)
-
Ben Johnson (1 Playoff Win)
These men do not:
-
Kevin O'Connell (0-2 in the Playoffs)
The NFC North now features a club that O'Connell has not yet joined, finalized by Johnson's dub over LaFleur.
It's time for the Vikings to win a playoff game. It's that simple.
O'Connell's 0-2 Record in January
To O'Connell's credit, he has the NFL's fifth-best record since taking over in 2022. In the regular season, O'Connell has a better win percentage than the Packers and Bears over the last four seasons, narrowly topped by the Lions.
Advertisement
So, it's not like O'Connell is a poor coach. Not at all. He just needs to win a playoff game. There's no point in uplifting the league's fifth-best record if playoff victories don't follow.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell speaks with a Patriots coach during a joint practice at the TCO Performance Center, Aug 13, 2025, in Minnesota. The training camp session offered a rare shared setting for evaluation, with both staffs comparing notes as players rotated through competitive reps ahead of the preseason schedule and early roster decisions. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
In 2022, O'Connell's Vikings lost to the New York Giants because the defense decided not to show up that day. Two years later, his quarterback and offensive line faceplanted on the road at the Los Angeles Rams. The trend must end.
Hot Seat?
O'Connell isn't on the hot seat at this exact moment, but by the time Week 1 rolls out, NFL-themed media will publish themed lists, and O'Connell's name will be mentioned.
Advertisement
He's bought goodwill with the aforementioned win percentage, has built a wonderful culture, and quarterback injuries have rattled two of the last three seasons. Before too long, though, he must put up or shut up. The same goes for his boss, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Both men have escaped Black Monday and its fallout early in the 2026 offseason, but that security won't continue if the pair doesn't win a postseason game.
SI.com 's Will Ragatz noted this week on O'Connell's upcoming hot seat, "Because of O'Connell's regular season success, offensive acumen, and obvious leadership qualities, it would be a stretch to say he's 'on the hot seat' this year."
"It's no secret that the Wilf family ownership group is fond of O'Connell and still holds the belief that he has the franchise headed in the right direction. If anyone in a major leadership position is on the hot seat, it's probably general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah . At the same time, it feels fair to say the pressure on KOC will ramp up this year."
All of this can be easy for O'Connell if he nails the quarterback decision: to believe in J.J. McCarthy all the way or hedge the bet with a different passer via free agency, a trade, or the draft.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talks with KFAN's Dan Barreiro after training camp practice at the TCO Performance Center, Jul 31, 2024, in Minnesota. The interview reflected offseason expectations following a 7–10 finish, as O'Connell discussed evaluation priorities and how the roster was being shaped entering the upcoming season under league-wide scrutiny and local attention. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
"If the Vikings don't get the quarterback decision right this offseason and miss the playoffs again in 2026, it would be no sure thing that O'Connell remains the head coach in 2027. The last two times the franchise missed the postseason in consecutive years were in 2020-21 (which got Mike Zimmer fired) and 2013-14 (the last year of Leslie Frazier and first year of Zimmer)," Ragatz continued.
Advertisement
"Historically, outside of the first two years of a tenure, missing the playoffs twice in a row has spelled doom for Vikings head coaches."
O'Connell must emulate his NFC North coaching peers. It's time.
