Kevin O'Connell has worked with some immensely talented players in his coaching career so far. On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings coach was asked about the most "bada**" player he has ever coached during an appearance on NFL on ESPN's "This Is Football" show.
O'Connell named some of the toughest players he worked with while he was the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl-winning LA Rams team, before picking one of his current Vikings players, who is also his Friday morning coffee partner.
"Well, I can easily go the Aaron Donald or Matthew Stafford route, but I'm going to go with one of my favorites I've had since I've been in Minnesota, and that would be Harrison Smith," O'Connell said.
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"Back for another season, 36 years old, is, you know, my Friday morning coffee partner. I get him out of the locker room and get them up with me for 30 minutes. But here's what I know about Harrison Smith, you've got to be a bada** to [sustain] for this long, be such a pillar of consistency at a position, where you need to be physical, you need to have great instincts, you need to be a great teammate and communicator.
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"You've got to pretty much be a bada** at all those guns to sustain at that position for this long. So fortunate to have him on every team I've ever been the head coach of here since Smith's been a captain, and a major part of it and I would not be sitting here talking to you today without him being on those teams.”
The Vikings drafted Smith in the first round in 2012. The safety has become one of the most important players on the franchise ever since, and has also earned six Pro Bowl honors.
O'Connell took over as Vikings coach in 2022. He has compiled a 34-17 record across three seasons. Minnesota has been to the playoffs twice under O'Connell, but has yet to win a postseason game with him.
Kevin O'Connell has uplifting news on Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
Kevin O'Connell shared some uplifting news on quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who returned to on-field training in January after missing his rookie season due to a torn meniscus.
“He’s a locker room energizer, changer,” O’Connell said about McCarthy. “The guys on the team really — they love his energy. They love his youthful enthusiasm, but yet he’s got kind of an old soul to him. Really, really excited.”
The Vikings drafted McCarthy with the No. 10 pick last year. It remains to be seen whether he impresses O'Connell enough to be named QB1 for the 2025 season.
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