Peyton Manning Shares Bold Opinion on Vikings' Coach Kevin O’Connell in 4 Words

The betting favorite for the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell received rousing praise from one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks, Peyton Manning.

During an appearance on “This Is Football” with Kevin Clark, Manning revealed that if he could play for any coach in this year’s playoffs.

In a field that includes several coaches with Super Bowl pedigree — future Hall of Fame coach Mike Tomlin, offensive guru Sean McVay and the magnetic Jim Harbaugh — Manning said he’d choose O’Connell over the rest of the field.

“He’s got no ego,” Manning said. “I think he’s a dynamic play-caller. I’m going with Kevin O’Connell.”

Peyton Manning Shares Moment That Sold Him on Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell

While Manning said he has never spoken with O’Connell personally, the Vikings coach left an impression on him when he saw O’Connell’s reaction to the Vikings celebrating Sam Darnold in the locker room following their Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers.

Darnold was hoisted in the air and showered with water in the locker room after he threw for a career-high 377 yards.

“That moment where Darnold jumps up in the locker room and they celebrate a couple weeks ago and [O’Connell’s] just standing back watching just kind of tells you everything you need to know about O’Connell,” Manning said. “That ‘Hey, it’s about the players. It’s about me putting them in a position to succeed. I’m just going to sit back and watch this.’ ”

Here’s a clip of the moment that’s stuck with Manning.

Kevin O’Connell Predicted to NFL’s Coach of the Year Award

With the 2024 season behind us, end-of-season award votes will be cast and announced at the NFL Honors award ceremony on February 6.

O’Connell is a considerable favorite to take home the Coach of the Year award for his work this season.

Embarking on Minnesota’s first year without Kirk Cousins, the Vikings’ over-under by major sportsbook was set at just 6.5 wins.

The Vikings’ 2024 season couldn’t have started worse with the death of rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and losing Mekhi Blackmon and J.J. McCarthy to season-ending injuries.

The season seemed lost before it even started. But under O’Connell’s tutelage, Sam Darnold led the Vikings to five straight wins to open the season and earn NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for September.

After losing back-to-back games in four days midseason, O’Connell righted the Vikings to nine straight wins, six of which were decided by a single score. He is the first coach since 1950 to win 14 games with a quarterback in their first year with a team.

O’Connell has done more with less throughout his tenure in Minnesota. Inheriting a roster that went 8-9 in 2021, O’Connell led the Vikings to 13 wins in his first year as head coach.

Despite the Vikings carrying $69 million in dead cap, the fifth most of any team in the league, O’Connell’s intangible leadership instilled an expectation to win with a reclamation quarterback who will receive top-of-the-market money in the offseason, with credit to O’Connell.

According to DraftKings, O’Connell is a -750 favorite to win the award with an implied win probability of 88%. Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell is the next closest candidate with +300 odds and an implied win probability of 25%.