When talking to the media, players and coaches have to be careful what they say. Not only could what they say hurt a team's game plan, but those words could also be directed at an unintended target, like the Minnesota Vikings.
Kevin O'Connell has done a great job with the Vikings since becoming the team's head coach. He has earned the respect of ownership, the front office, the players, fans, and his peers while getting the most out of his team.
However, sometimes comments that seem unconnected to another person happen during media sessions, and it results in what could be considered shade if the words can be interpreted a different way.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins likely didn't intend to throw shade at MInnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, but the veteran passer did just that.
On Wednesday, Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith wrote an article about former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and how the offseason is treating the 37-year-old passer heading into the 2026 NFL season.
Cousins' words were praising Raiders coach Klint Kubiak, but when looked at through a Vikings lens, it could be considered shade toward head coach Kevin O'Connell.
Here is what Cousins said during an interview on the Rich Eisen Show:
"“I told him after OTAs, ‘Coach, this is probably the most urgent and most productive OTAs I’ve ever been a part of.’ That starts with him as a head coach. He created a sense of urgency from Day One, all the way through the 10-week program, and I thought we got a lot of work done. We’ve got a long ways to go, but we laid a good foundation.”
The urgency part is understandable. The Raiders are counting on Kirk Cousins to be a bridge between the start of the season and the time when No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza is ready to take over as the starting quarterback.
However, it is the "productive" part that could be seen as shade toward his former Vikings coach. Kevin O'Connell is a Coach of the Year winner who has shown the ability to get the most out of players, particularly quarterbacks.
It would be interesting to talk to Kirk Cousins and hear why the OTAs under Klint Kubiak with the Las Vegas Raiders were more productive than the ones with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. Who knows, maybe the veteran quarterback will have an opportunity to clarify that statement in the future.
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