Questions begin to swirl when teams in any sport struggle, but it is rare to see it when a team is winning. However, this is where we now stand with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. O'Connell was viewed as a quarterback whisperer with a standout offense, but has failed to develop a quarterback long-term during his tenure.
It is now at the point where the media is beginning to question whether O'Connell is the problem in Minnesota, and the loudest voice so far has been NFL legend Steve Smith, while appearing on ESPN's Get Up:
"Is Kevin O'Connell the answer to the Minnesota Vikings as their head coach moving forward?"@SteveSmithSr89 questions if Minnesota needs a new head coach 🍿 pic.twitter.com/X8AsrymaP0
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 10, 2026
There are going to be tons
of questions about the coaching staff if Minnesota limps into the playoffs and gets bounced early. A deep playoff run with Kirk Cousins now back on the team could take some of the heat off O'Connell. But with no successor, the attention will once again be firmly on him and this front office to take another shot at landing the heir apparent for the Vikings.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL legend asks if Kevin O'Connell may be the problem for the Vikings
