It hasn't even been a full 48 hours yet since their 2024 season came to a close, but the Minnesota Vikings are already at the center of some outrageous speculation about the future of head coach Kevin O'Connell.
After leading the franchise to more wins than any other Vikings head coach in their first three seasons with the team, O'Connell is expected to receive a contract extension from Minnesota this year.
A new deal between the Vikings and their head coach is all but guaranteed to be completed this offseason. However, ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio recently felt the need to share a new thought from his giant bag of fear-mongering speculation about the possibility of O'Connell and Minnesota not agreeing to an extension this year.
"The Week 18 Sunday Splash! report from Jay Glazer that multiple teams are interested in trading for O’Connell wasn’t idle talk. There’s tension in the relationship, stemming largely from the fact that he didn’t get an extension after his second season. Now that he’s one year away from free agency, he could be willing to let it ride, if necessary, and hit the market."
There is no reason to think Kevin O'Connell will not receive an extension from the Minnesota Vikings
First, let's consider the source. This type of content is just what Florio produces.
Shortly before Minnesota's playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams this past Monday, he shared something about the Vikings potentially turning to Daniel Jones in the matchup if Sam Darnold struggled. The same Darnold who was one of three quarterbacks voted to this season's NFC Pro Bowl roster.
After the 2024 NFL Draft last year, Florio alleged that after moving on from quarterback Kirk Cousins and despite already having Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on their roster, the Vikings attempted to trade up in the first round to select former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.
When it comes to O'Connell and Minnesota, there have been zero credible reports of there being any tension between the team and the head coach. At a time when there are plenty of other Vikings-related topics to speculate about, it's odd that something that seems just about impossible is what was picked to explore.
So, let this just be a warning on day two of Minnesota's offseason to expect more bogus speculation from the same source during the next few months.
Who knows what will be put out next?
Maybe J.J. McCarthy will potentially think about forcing a trade if Josh McCown leaves to become the offensive coordinator of another team, maybe the Vikings will be interested in bringing back Mike Zimmer to be their defensive coordinator after Brian Flores leaves for a head-coaching job, or perhaps Minnesota will ponder the possibility of removing the roof off of U.S. Bank Stadium to make it an outdoor venue?
The possibilities are endless!