Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell leans on unlikely source for guidance: Hall of Famer Bill Cowher

Several offseasons ago, Trace Armstrong, the longtime NFL defensive end who’s now one of the most prominent coaching agents in the NFL, had an idea. Why not gather some of his clients in Arizona and host a Hall of Fame head coach who could speak to them about the job many of them coveted?

Bill Cowher jumped at the opportunity. Talking ball? With some of the game’s brightest minds? He couldn’t sign up quickly enough.

The “fireside chat,” as Cowher described it, allowed him to tell stories. About what it was like succeeding the legendary Chuck Noll at age 34. About how it felt to make the playoffs in his first six seasons — but lose all six times. About his approach to managing a locker room, staffing philosophies and so much more.

One of the young coaches in attendance was Kevin O’Connell. The Minnesota Vikings had recently hired him as their head coach. After Cowher’s talk, some of the coaches ate together. O’Connell and Cowher spoke, and Cowher left the conversation impressed. He felt like the tall former quarterback had it.

“A lot of times, you see coordinators who get into the head coaching job, and it can be overwhelming,” Cowher, a current NFL analyst for CBS, said. “I thought, just talking with Kevin, he had the big picture in mind. He could see it.”

Which new Head Coach inherited the best situation?@CowherCBS: #Vikings Kevin O’Connell and #Dolphins Mike McDaniel pic.twitter.com/vYMIFp7qbc

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) September 18, 2022

Listening to O’Connell reminded Cowher of himself as a young coach. They both had brief NFL playing careers and learned under legendary leaders (Dick Vermeil for Cowher, Bill Belichick for O’Connell). Neither waited long to become a coach, and neither needed much time to rise from position coach to coordinator to head coach. Both blended intense competitiveness with empathy in a genuine way.

O’Connell knew that finding a kindred spirit who had succeeded as a head coach and was willing to pass along some wisdom was uncommon. So he asked for Cowher’s number. What Cowher viewed as a simple pleasantry, O’Connell saw as an opportunity. The Vikings head coach knew challenging situations would arise. Handling them, in his opinion, would require seeking counsel from people he trusted.

The two spoke sparingly in the ensuing months but discussed important themes. They talked about the importance of a support staff, and, specifically, what O’Connell needed out of a defensive coordinator.

It seems like a distant memory now, but no head coach wants to have to fire a coordinator after his first season in charge. Ed Donatell left O’Connell no choice, especially after Daniel Jones torched the Vikings for 301 yards and two touchdowns at U.S. Bank Stadium in the NFC wild-card round.

As O’Connell sifted through replacement candidates, Cowher urged him to find someone who complemented him.

“I always felt like my most important hire as a defensive coach was the guy on the offensive side who thought like me,” Cowher said.

When O’Connell introduced Brian Flores in Feb. 2023, he mentioned Flores’ ability to construct and teach a defensive system similar to the way O’Connell would do it on offense.

The hire has been a major factor in the Vikings’ season. Minnesota would not be 12-2 or vying for the NFC North title if it weren’t for the job Flores has done.

Cowher and O’Connell also talked about the value of position coaches and how they are often a key voice for players.

There is no better example than the unheralded move the Vikings made this offseason to hire Josh McCown as the quarterbacks coach and pair him in the meeting room with quickly rising assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.

McCown’s experience and emotional awareness, O’Connell knew, would further enhance an already promising infrastructure for the most important position on the team. Sam Darnold’s stellar season is a credit to his own evolution, to the Vikings’ skill players and to O’Connell’s offensive design. But McCown’s role as a confidant should not go unnoticed.

Cowher also imparted to O’Connell how a head coach needs to have contingencies, be adaptable (in-game and from a roster standpoint), let the players lead the locker room and always be authentic.

The fact that O’Connell was willing to listen to Cowher at all impressed the former coach, so he began monitoring Minnesota’s progress more carefully. He marveled at how O’Connell lifted Kirk Cousins in 2022 and how he kept the team afloat with Josh Dobbs playing on a whim in 2023.

“Kevin is not overwhelmed by anything,” Cowher said. “He can adapt and adjust. And he’s always got a backup plan in mind.”

Over the last few years, Cowher has continued to watch how O’Connell speaks in interviews and his disposition on the sidelines. They don’t converse much during the season because Cowher knows how many hours O’Connell is putting in. But he has paid attention, and what he has noticed is how much this year’s Vikings reflect O’Connell.

They play confidently but aren’t arrogant. They take calculated risks with intentionality. They celebrate wildly as a result of the time and the effort they’ve put in — not because they need anyone to look at them.

“He’s very confident in who he is,” Cowher said, “and very confident in his decision-making. And I feel like this team takes on that personality.”

Live: Coach Kevin O’Connell Press Conference https://t.co/mXTAsdlpXM

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 17, 2024

The next time the two men talk, it’ll probably stem from a Cowher text before the playoffs. He has already mapped out the words: “Just remember one thing. You haven’t done s— yet. OK?”

If O’Connell asks what he should be mindful of during the stretch run, Cowher will explain how his 10 playoff appearances and Super Bowl victory in 2005 taught him to be willing to take risks and flip the script on tendencies.

The other message is a worthwhile reminder.

“If it doesn’t happen this year, relax,” Cowher said. “Sometimes it takes the right bounce of the ball to get there. Maybe it’ll be this year. If it is, it would not surprise me.

“Because the Vikings have one of the best leaders in the National Football League.”

(Photos: Andy Lyons and Rob Carr / Getty Images)