KEVIN O’CONNELL – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Ludicrous to Call for Kevin O’Connell’s Job

Posted on November 2, 2026November 2, 2026 by David Shama

After Sunday’s first Vikings loss of the season there were fans calling for the head coach to be replaced. That irrational reaction is the result of a problem at quarterback and the frustration of watching the struggling offense through seven games.

The Wilf ownership isn’t going to part ways with Kevin O’Connell in the middle of a season where the team’s 6-1 record is at the top of the NFL along with the Bills and 49ers. That’s unthinkable to change leadership under such circumstances unless there was a headline making personal issue. Good citizen, personable and well-liked KOC isn’t going to have any off-field embarrassments.

O’Connell, in his fifth season as head coach, has two seasons when his teams won 13 and 14 games respectively. His overall record is 49-26 in regular season games. By all accounts he’s liked by ownership.

It’s a whimsical thought that defensive whiz Brian Flores should replace O’Connell this fall. Flores’ work over three-plus seasons with the Vikings as defensive coordinator is elite. Give O’Connell credit for hiring him and providing the authority to be successful.

A future where Flores has a head NFL job may not be far off, but he’ll have to prove he’s more capable than during his stretch from 2019-2021 as field boss of the Dolphins who produced a 24-25 regular season record. Brilliant coordinators don’t always succeed as head coaches.

A poor record and situation where the Vikings can’t find success with a quarterback will eventually threaten O’Connell’s job security. The 2026 record is the envy of most teams so far, but the Vikings are facing a competitive stretch of games that is a level up from earlier in the season. That started yesterday in their 19-15 loss to the 5-2 Lions and continues next Monday night at home against the Bills.

It looks like Minnesota will have to compete for a division title and postseason entry with subpar quarterback play. There’s repetition with Kyler Murray’s passing, forcing balls and fluttering them. His short stature (listed at a seemingly generous 5-foot-10) is an impediment to sometimes seeing his receivers. A gifted runner, he seems reluctant to be a more frequent ball carrier and add that element as a threat to defenses.

Fans are calling for 33-year-old Carson Wentz to replace Murray, 29. Wentz might be an upgrade but there’s a reason the 6-foot-5 and 237-pound North Dakota native is now with his sixth NFL team and is a backup in Minnesota where the Vikings have been trying to find an answer at quarterback since 2025 when Sam Darnold left to join the Seahawks. Wentz’s career has included top performances followed by duds, with inconsistent passing and some tendency for fumbling.

Turning up the heat on criticism is the September trade that sent quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the Giants in return for a 2027 fifth round future draft choice. The sample size is small after appearing in just three games and starting one, but he has earned the trust of the coaching staff in New York and become the starter. The Giants had a bye week last weekend but on October 25 McCarthy completed 20 of 25 passes, with no picks, and led the Giants to a 27-21 win in overtime against the Texans.

McCarthy, just 23, was the Vikings No. 1 draft choice in 2024. He started 10 games in 2025 and was in a competition last off-season with Murray to be the team’s starter.

It seemed premature to part with McCarthy so soon, despite his injuries and inconsistency. Count former Vikings linebacker Pete Najarian among those believers.

Najarian, also a former Gopher, watched McCarthy in practice last summer and was impressed. He told Sports Headliners McCarthy throws the “long ball better than anybody.”

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings QB, image by David Shama — J.J. McCarthy

By that he meant anyone on the Vikings and that McCarthy ranks with the best in the NFL for arm strength and accuracy on the deep ball. Najarian also questions the wisdom of moving on from a prospect with a relatively inexpensive rookie contract and only receiving a fifth-round future draft choice from the Giants. (A contingency clause that had the Vikings receiving more if McCarthy achieved certain benchmarks makes sense.)

How ironic if the Giants, with McCarthy leading the offense, meet up in a playoff game against the Vikings in January?

Worth Noting

The Vikings had the possibility of not only retaining Darnold but before that Kirk Cousins. The strategy instead was to spend major payroll money not on them but to upgrade at other positions.

Darnold, 29, led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win last February. And at 38, Cousins continues to excel.

Yesterday Cousins threw three touchdown passes and ran for another for the 4-4 Raiders who are in playoff contention. He is only the second NFL quarterback 38-or-older to have three touchdown passes, a rushing touchdown and a passer rating of 140-or-higher in a single game. The other QB is Drew Brees with the Saints in 2018.

Titans’ safety Amani Hooker, the Park Center and Iowa alum, had a career-high three interceptions yesterday.

Speaking of fans, Indiana patrons had the unmitigated gall to boo their Hoosiers during Saturday’s game with the Golden Gophers in Bloomington. With a history of dismal football, the Hoosiers miraculously turned around in 2024, won the national championship after the 2025 regular season and were ranked No. 4 in the nation when hosting Minnesota. Coach Curt Cignetti’s work in Bloomington is unprecedented in college football, yet ungrateful and spoiled fans had the audacity to boo their team in a game ultimately won by Indiana in overtime, 23-16.

Minnesota, 5-3, is somewhat a mirror image of the Vikings, with a struggling offense, often superb defense and lights out field goal kicker. The Gophers have three touchdowns in their last three games. Senior Luke Drzewiecki produced 24 of Minnesota’s 49 points in those games on field goals and extra points.

Drzewiecki, who is 15 of 15 on field goals including a 60-yarder that almost won the Indiana game, is the best at what he does in Gopher history based on his accuracy and range. Special teams coach Daniel Da Prado, so influential in bringing Drzewiecki to Dinkytown, might be the best assistant head coach hire by P.J. Fleck in his 10 seasons at Minnesota. His retention should be a top priority.

The Gopher defense, despite blowout losses to Mississippi State and Purdue, ranks No. 22 nationally in yards given up per game at 305. In trophy game wins over Michigan and Iowa Minnesota gave up a total of 24 points and held Indiana to 16 in regulation.

Saint John’s senior quarterback Trey Feeney, who has completed a MIAC single game record 51 passes for the unbeaten and No. 3 ranked Johnnies, is the son of Moorhead coach Kevin Feeney and older brother of Spuds quarterback and Gopher commit Jett Feeney.

Word is the Timberwolves and city of Minneapolis are still identifying a site for a new arena to replace Target Center. It’s believed that gubernatorial candidates Amy Klobuchar and Lisa Demuth would be at least somewhat supportive of discussing state financing for major arenas and stadiums. Private financing seems likely to pay for much of the new arena cost.

Today is the final day for MLB teams to extend one-year qualifying offers to eligible free agents. No word on the Twins and catcher Ryan Jeffers yet. The club has already declined to make a $10 million offer to Josh Bell.

William Tucker, son of former Gophers and NBA basketball player Trent Tucker, is a junior defenseman on the Eden Prairie High School hockey team and committed to play at Yale.

It is a busy week at the University of Minnesota with matchups that include men’s hockey No. 1 ranked Wisconsin in town for games Thursday and Saturday nights. The volleyball team hosts Penn State Friday night, and undefeated UCLA has a morning kickoff against the football Gophers on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium. After the men’s basketball team plays at home tonight against North Dakota, the Gophers host St. Thomas Friday evening.

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Vikings’ Brian Flores Might Be Next Mike Tomlin

Posted on October 12, 2026October 12, 2026 by David Shama

Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores plays to rave reviews locally and nationally. He’s revered by Purple fans for his coaching prowess that has mostly wowed since coming to Minneapolis before the 2023 season.

He might be the best at what he does in franchise history. And Purple Nation frets about how long the Vikings can retain him, with a (small?) part of the fanbase hoping ownership will promote him to head coach replacing Kevin O’Connell.

The situation has a Vikings historical rub from about 20 years ago when Mike Tomlin, as a first-year defensive coordinator, directed a unit that was the No. 1 rushing defense and No. 8 in total yards yielded among NFL teams. The 2006 season was Tomlin’s only one with the Vikings who had a 6-10 record.

Still, he was a fan favorite and there’s been lamenting over the years that the Wilf ownership group should have dumped head coach Brad Childress in favor of Tomlin. That didn’t happen because Childress, never that popular with the fanbase, had only coached one season. Plus, Tomlin had no head coaching experience.

Tomlin departed the Vikings to become head coach of the Steelers where his tenure lasted 19 seasons. His teams made the playoffs 13 times. The Tomlin era’s highlight was winning Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.

Flores, 45, has been a head coach before and seems positioned to be one again. In three seasons with the Dolphins, 2019-2021, he had a 24-25 record with no playoff appearances.

Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator, image by David Shama — Brian Flores

His was a controversial tenure in south Florida with issues that included reported strained relationships with management and ownership. After his firing, he brought a lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams alleging systemic racial discrimination in coaching and executive hiring practices, and also retaliation for refusing to “tank” games. Litigation is still pending.

A former front office executive with NFL teams, communicating with Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity, offered perspective on Flores in a text message. “I think he will be a very good head coach (he’s learned how to better get along with all players compared to his Miami years) if he gets the opportunity with his lawsuit against the NFL and several teams—which is likely a potential stumbling block with some owners. But I think he’ll get a head job soon especially if the Vikings are a playoff team and win a playoff game or two.”

After yesterday’s 23-13 win over the Saints, the defense leads the NFL in fewest points allowed with 64. The unit is also tops in takeaways with six, third in yards allowed at 259.8 and tied for third in sacks with 17, per ESPN.com. The Vikings have the second-highest pressure rate (47.8 percent) of any defense through Week 5 since 2018, according to Next Gen Stats.

With Flores and his defense playing a major role, the Vikings are 5-0 this season and 9-0 dating back to last season.

In Flores’ first three seasons leading Minnesota’s defense (2023-25), the Vikings limited their opponents to 19.2 points per game (second-fewest league wide) and 317.1 yards per game, including 5.1 yards per play (ranking fourth).

What makes Flores so effective at what he does? “Flores is very creative and extremely aggressive with his blitzes, and he has smart players with experience in his system who can play multiple spots as rushers or droppers into coverage (such as Andrew Van Ginkel, Kyle Van Noy, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson),” the source wrote. “He confuses QBs and o-linemen who don’t know who is rushing and who is dropping so he can scheme their best pass rusher, Dallas Turner, into sometimes being unblocked or one-on-one versus a tight end (as at the end of the win in Chicago).

“He’s certainly one of the two or three best DCs in the league today.”

Worth Noting

The same source offering his view on the Vikings trading quarterback J.J. McCarthy for a fifth-round draft choice to the Giants: “…I think they should’ve kept him this season as insurance if (Kyler) Murray and/or (Carson) Wentz gets hurt—then McCarthy is a much better option (with 10 starts and a 6-4 record) than (Max) Brosmer.

“They probably could’ve gotten a fifth for him at the November trade deadline or after the season. And they should’ve gotten an upgraded (contingent) draft pick if he starts and is successful with Giants, but they probably asked for the upgrade and were turned down… .

“McCarthy has the talent to be a good NFL QB, but he needs to become a much more accurate passer and prove he can stay healthy.”

The passing of former Bears tight end great and head coach Mike Ditka is a reminder about his dislike of the Metrodome. As Chicago’s coach in the 1980’s he reportedly said: “I just don’t like indoor domes,” Ditka said. “They weren’t meant for football. Football is meant to play it outside and on grass… .Indoor domes should be useful for roller rinks. That’s all they should be for. Roller skating.”

Vikings general manager Mike Lynn trolled Ditka by sending him a pair of roller skates which he wore in the Bears’ office.

Deep condolences to family and friends of Dick Hunegs, from St. Louis Park, who passed away at age 95 on September 27. A terrific trial lawyer, Dick was a passionate Golden Gophers football fan. He died at home watching his beloved team on TV playing the Washington Huskies.

Ironically, as a nine-year-old he attended his first Gopher game on September 28, 1940, watching Minnesota defeat the Huskies in Minneapolis.

The 2026 Gophers, who defeated the Huskies last month and were awful in their most recent game last Saturday against Purdue, are 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in Big Ten games. Minnesota has defeated one team with a winning record, Michigan, 3-2. The combined record of Minnesota’s six opponents is 16 wins and 18 losses.

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Big Apple Will Be No Retreat for QB J.J. McCarthy

Posted on September 28, 2026September 28, 2026 by David Shama

If quarterback J.J. McCarthy felt the impact of outside criticism during his tenure with the Vikings, he should know he is diving into the deep end of the pool in New York City.

Gotham is now home for the 23-year-old as of today when the Vikings sent him to the Giants for a 2027 fifth round draft choice. McCarthy, Minnesota’s first round draft choice in 2024, never did establish himself as the team’s long-term answer as the starter at the most important position on the field.

This despite head coach Kevin O’Connell declaring his protégé “the franchise quarterback” prior to the beginning of the 2025 season. McCarthy couldn’t achieve enough consistency to prompt a commitment from O’Connell who brought in veteran Kyler Murray to be the “man” during the past off season.

McCarthy’s subpar mechanics have been a repetitive topic of conversation in the northland and amateur psychologists have debated his level of confidence. While, of course, McCarthy didn’t acknowledge self-doubts, his mental outlook understandably could have been at least side-swiped by booing fans, media jabs and digital digs.

There’s no pretention here to know what’s inside McCarthy’s head but he is a long-time practitioner of meditation and mindfulness. And it will be no yoga camp or mental health retreat in New York where media and fans are capable of eating quarterbacks for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If McCarthy wants a tutorial, he’s probably got the phone numbers of former quarterback teammates Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones on speed dial. They could tell stories about the raucous and often disapproving culture of the big city from their times with the Jets and Giants respectively. Darnold got an earful for not being the franchise savior and Jones was even booed on draft night.

This is a change, however, that McCarthy and his inner circle apparently wanted. He could have a shot at the starting job later this season, replacing 32-year-old journeyman Jameis Winston. Starter Jaxson Dart is injured and out for the season.

McCarthy will start out with the confidence of head coach John Harbaugh who almost certainly spoke with brother Jim Harbaugh prior to the trade. The latter was McCarthy’s head coach at Michigan in 2023 when the Wolverines won the national championship. There’s no reason to believe Jim gave his brother anything less than a positive endorsement about McCarthy.

The Giants get a quarterback friendly deal with McCarthy. He’s under team control through 2027, with a team option for 2028.

The Vikings apparently lost patience with McCarthy’s development. Why else would you move on so quickly from a No. 1 draft choice and the possibility of still becoming your starter in a quarterback cluster where neither Carson Wentz nor Murray have come close to dazzling and may not.

The view here is McCarthy didn’t cause problems internally for the Vikings. He was a solid teammate and could be among the first to congratulate another Viking on making a big play.

If the Giants finish around .500 or worse in the standings after this season, the fifth round draft choice could yield a top 150 or so player in the draft. This year the Vikings took Max Bredeson in the fifth round and the fullback projects as a valued part of the team for years to come. BTW, the best of modern day NFL fifth rounders include stars Tyreek Hill, George Kittle and Puka Nacua.

Don’t think the Vikings didn’t try to do better than a fifth round pick. That’s apparently the market value right now for McCarthy who in his 10 NFL career games has thrown 12 interceptions and 11 touchdown passes.

The Giants had a firsthand look at McCarthy in the preseason. He completed four of seven passes for 34, with no interceptions. He had moments when he looked hurried and produced no points of what would be a 13-10 preseason opening win over the Giants in New Jersey.

If McCarthy turns out to be an NFL bust, the deal will look like a good one for the Vikings. If he becomes a star in the Big Apple or elsewhere, and the Vikings are still on their marathon search for a franchise quarterback, well, let’s just say the jackals will be howling like never before.

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