Report: O’Connell top choice for Vikings Head Coach

The Minnesota Vikings continue to search for a new head coach. The Vikings have targeted Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell for the job. According to ESPN insider, Dan Graziano, Kevin O’Connell has emerged as the frontrunner for the position.

O’Connell is the current offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams defeated San Francisco on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl.

In a Tweet Wednesday evening, Graziano said, "The Vikings have called other candidates to inform them they’re out of the running, sources say. Deal with O’Connell can’t be officially finalized until after the Super Bowl."

The Vikings have called other candidates to inform them they’re out of the running, sources say. Deal with O’Connell can’t be officially finalized until after the Super Bowl. https://t.co/LkvY7avlS3

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) February 3, 2022

Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman were fired earlier in January. The Vikings finished the season 8-9, and did not advance to the playoffs. On January 27, the Vikings hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to replace Spielman as the team’s general manager.

Other contenders interviewed for the head coach position include University of Michigan’s head coach, Jim Harbaugh, Giants Defensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach Patrick Graham, and Rams Defensive Coordinator Raheem Morris.

Harbaugh interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings for their head coach vacancy, but he will return to his alma mater for an eighth season.

No offer of the job was made to Harbaugh, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the process were not being made public.