Kevin O’Connell Hit with Two Spooky Words

It’s a little early for the label — NFL-themed meida usually waits until the summer — but that didn’t stop FOX Sports from placing head coaches on the hot seat last week. Ralph Vacchiano identified 10 coaches with toasty buttocks, and Minnesota Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell was not spared.

The GM reset tightens the stakes for O’Connell, and the expectations shift to postseason results as the Vikings enter a defining 2026 year.

O’Connell has led the Vikings for four seasons, banking the league’s fifth-best win percentage on his watch, but his team has not won a playoff game.

The Hot Seat for Kevin O’Connell in 2026 Is Real

The heat is on.

Fox Sports Hot Seat List: KOC Named

Vacchiano listed hot-seat coaches from warmest to hottest, and at No. 7, O’Connell got the nod. Vacchiano claimed that six other coaches are under more pressure.

He wrote about O’Connell, “He’s incredibly well-respected, has a reputation as one of the greatest ‘quarterback whisperers’ in the league, and has won nearly twice as many games as he’s lost during his five seasons.

“He just got a lucrative contract extension, too. But his boss, owner Zygi Wilf, clearly wasn’t happy with the Vikings’ 9-8 record this past season and some of their recent quarterback decisions. That’s why he fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.”

The Vikings very vividly preferred O’Connell over Adofo-Mensah; it’s rare for an ownership group not fire both the GM and HC as a package deal. But the Vikings are trying an experiment with O’Connell as the CEO by default.

Vacchiano added, “And while, yes, that means O’Connell emerged the victor of a power struggle, it also puts the heat on him. He’s got to prove Wilf was right, which means developing QB J.J. McCarthy and probably returning to the playoffs next season. Anything else, and who knows what Wilf will do?”

Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets led the way for Vacchiano’s hot seat rankings, with Philadelphia Eagles skipper Nick Sirianni at No. 2.

Pressure on O’Connell after the Termination of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

History suggests that retaining a head coach after firing the general manager is a recipe for failure. The “GM-only reset” often accelerates the timeline toward further upheaval, as continued poor performance often leads to the coach’s dismissal. Tennessee and Carolina have followed this pattern, and Miami nearly did in 2025 before firing Mike McDaniel weeks later.

Now, Minnesota has embarked on the same path.

With Adofo-Mensah’s firing on January 30th, O’Connell gains more influence over the roster, but this increased power also brings heightened accountability. If the Vikings, with O’Connell- and Brian Flores-influenced personnel additions, struggle to a 6-11 or 7-10 record in 2026 due to an unsuccessful bet on McCarthy, the Wilfs are unlikely to stand pat.

O’Connell is entering his fifth year without a playoff win, making a postseason appearance essential, and a playoff victory likely necessary, as few head coaches reach a fifth season without January success.

This situation leaves little room for error, as the head coach rarely survives the subsequent downturn when the general manager is fired first.

Playoffs or Bust?

To his credit, Minnesota has reached the playoffs twice in four years on O’Connell’s watch. The problem? O’Connell hasn’t logged a playoff victory yet, and that’s usually required for full job security. In fact, Minnesota hasn’t won a postseason game in six years — the game when tight end Kyle Rudolph walked off the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome. Gradually, the drought is becoming grim.

So, at the very least, O’Connell must figure out his quarterback solution — roll with McCarthy or find a competent insurance plan — finish with a 9-8 record or better in 2026, and probably win a playoff game. Unfortunately for his sake, the timeline has been expedited because he hasn’t won in January, and the ownership picked him over Adofo-Mensah, putting the onus on him to deliver.

The Accolades

Here’s the case to support O’Connell as an effective head coach:

• 2024 NFL Coach of the Year
• NFL’s fifth-best win percentage since 2022
• NFL’s best defense per EPA/Play since 2022
• Sixth-fewest penalties since 2022

The pro-O’Connell crowd will maintain that he needs a steady QB1 — his teams are 37-15 (.711) when he has his QB1 in the starting lineup — and better draft picks. Adofo-Mensah notoriously and woefully struggled to connect in the draft.

Nominate a clear QB1, draft better, run the football at a normal NFL clip, and prosper. That’s how O’Connell can avoid termination in 2026.