The Minnesota Vikings have officially clinched a spot in the playoffs.
Notably, not many people saw that coming before the start of the season.
That’s why it’s not much of a surprise to see Kevin O’Connell currently being the odds-on favorite to take home the NFL’s Coach of the Year award.
As pointed out by Vikingz Fan Page on X, the young coach currently leads the way with +110 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell is now the betting favorite (+110) to win Coach of the Year, according to @DKSportsbook. pic.twitter.com/4iKqkO8EsX
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) December 17, 2024
O’Connell deserves a lot of credit for what he’s been able to do with this team.
The Vikings looked like the worst team in the NFC North Division entering the season.
Some even urged them to blow the roster up and trade Justin Jefferson away after Kirk Cousins left in free agency.
Also, when J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury, and Sam Darnold looked slated to be the starter for the full season, not many people were intimidated by them.
Fast forward to today, and they’ve only lost two games all year.
They have won on the road.
They’ve won blowouts.
They’ve won close games.
Whether it’s pretty or not is irrelevant, but O’Connell’s team always finds a way to get the job done.
Moreover, he’s turned Darnold into a legitimate NFL-caliber starter after years of struggles, which also speaks volumes about his coaching and system.
The Vikings still aren’t considered a Super Bowl contender compared to other teams, but they continue to prove that sleeping on them doesn’t pay off very often.
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