The Minnesota Vikings are a world-class organization. Ownership has poured a lot of resources into creating one of the best atmospheres in the league for the team as well as the fans. That hard work is evident when looking at Viking Lakes in Eagan and U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
There is also the matter of the Vikings being one of the winningest teams in the league. In franchise history, the purple and gold have a winning record, finding victory in 55 percent of their games with a 546-446-11 record.
While the Vikings have been a solid team recently, there are some franchises that have struggled to stay relevant. Among those franchises struggling to find an identity are the New York Jets, who hired Darren Mougey to be their general manager in January 2025.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell had plenty of compliments for the general manager of the New York Jets.
There is a connection between Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey. The two were teammates at San Diego State and have kept in touch ever since.
In a recent article on the New York Post website, the Vikings coach talked about the Jets GM and how he continues to encourage and respect his former teammate.
"Most of the time I was complimenting him on whether it was a great draft they had, or how they handled some of their internal situations there — getting their running back (Breece Hall re-signed.)"
While it is not surprising to hear O'Connell keeping in touch with his former wide receiver in college, it does come at an interesting time when Minnesota hired an outside general manager to shape the team this offseason.
Seeing how Nolan Teasley performs as Vikings GM will be interesting. The previous regime was heavily criticized for draft choices and trades, but hopefully Minnesota's coach will have as much praise for their new general manager as he does for the Mougey.
“I just think the plan that he’s had has been really well thought-out. It’s one thing — a lot of teams put the time and the energy in to have as much good planning as you can — but it’s about the execution of those plans. The way Darren has gone about it doesn’t surprise me.”
Honestly, the Jets could use some guidance and consistency. They haven't made the playoffs since 2010 and haven't won their division since 2002, when Chad Pennington was the team's starting quarterback.
Praising the Jets GM might sound silly coming from the Minnesota Vikings head coach, but there is something great about a person who roots for their friends to succeed and isn't afraid to do so publicly.
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