Justin Jefferson hypes up Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell after Coach of the Year win

The Minnesota Vikings did not have the end of their season that they hoped for but they did wind up surpassing all expectations. A lot of the credit has to go to the new Coach of the Year, Kevin O'Connell. He helped the team go 14-3 in the regular season, but lost in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

While appearing on the "Up and Adams Show," Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson gave incredible praise to coach O'Connell.

"His pregame speeches. That's one thing you know. He'll, he'll have you running through a wall in a second ... he'll have you running through a wall in a second, everything that you need to hear. And he doesn't even stutter. He doesn't say stutter. He doesn't say, uh, it's like he's planning to say what he needs to say.

"But, I mean, just his ability to connect with the players, his joy for the game, and he always wants to win, that's what I love. And he always wants to be a part of what you got going on, whether it fits on the field, off the field. He's a great coach. I'm definitely happy to have him and be a part of his team, but we got some work to do."

Justin Jefferson had a career season with quarterback Sam Darnold throwing him the football. The Minnesota Vikings wide receiver finished with 103 receptions on 154 targets for 1,533 yards (14.9 yards per catch) with 10 receiving touchdowns.

Who will be the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025?

The quarterback choice for the Minnesota Vikings is going to be interesting. Sam Darnold is a free agent and the team's first-round pick last season, JJ McCarthy, suffered a knee injury and missed the entire regular season.

It seems likely that Kevin O'Connell is going to give McCarthy the chance to prove himself with this offense. But the Minnesota Vikings need to have a capable backup in case the plans go awry.