"I've used that phrase before and it wasn't just with Sam, it was with Kirk as well," O'Connell told Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth. “He's earned the right to be a free a

The Minnesota Vikings have a big decision to make at quarterback this offseason. Sam Darnold is set to hit free agency in March after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a surprising 14–3 record and a playoff berth in 2024.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell speaks glowingly of 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy and refused to hide the pride he feels recalling Sam Darnold's first year in Minnesota's offensive system.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said at the NFL Combine on Tuesday he's talked with quarterback Sam Darnold since the season ended. Darnold is eligible for free agency in two weeks, and J.J. McCarthy could be in line to be the starter in 2025.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah each talked about Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy on Tuesday at the NFL Combine.

The Vikings could have tagged Darnold and tried to trade him to get a return, but The Athletic's Alec Lewis and ESPN's Kevin Seifert noted that teams would be unlikely to spend a draft pick on Darnold and then pay him.

Balancing close relationships and the business side of the NFL is the hardest part of being a coach, according to Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell—and he's experiencing that challenge firsthand as the Sam Darnold situation unfolds.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are interested in Sam Darnold, but they won’t be able to provide him with talent like the Minnesota Vikings did.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell addressed Darnold's future in light of not franchise-tagging him, which would not have benefited Minnesota if they kept him on the one-year, $40 million tag.

Sam Darnold is set to hit free agency in March after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a surprising 14–3 record and a playoff berth in 2024. The Vikings could either let him walk or bring him back on a new contract or the franchise tag, which would be a one-year deal worth an estimated $42.4 million.

In light of the Seattle Seahawks trading starter Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick, the Seahawks are honing in on signing Darnold as his replacement, according to Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz.

The Vikings could be in the market for a backup quarterback at the start of free agency and Aaron Rodgers may be available