Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Sam Darnold earned awards from The Sporting News on Thursday after the team made the playoffs for the second time in three years.

O'Connell, 39, lands a contract extension after guiding Vikings to 14-3 record with Sam Darnold at quarterback.

NFL season ended in supreme disappointment for the Minnesota Vikings and their fans, accolades continue to pour in for head coach Kevin O'Connell. O'Connell was named Sporting News Coach of the Year on Thursday after leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record,

The Minnesota Vikings got ahead of an offseason full of rumors and speculation about head coach Kevin O'Connell with a major announcement.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension on Tuesday, following a 14-3 regular season that defied external widespread preseason projections of at least a losing record if not a last-place finish in the NFC North.

The Vikings were never going to trade O'Connell, who led the team to a 14-3 record and within one win of the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings and head coach Kevin O'Connell have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension. The team announced the extension Tuesday afternoon, with owner and president Mark Wilf calling O'Connell an "innovative play caller, an excellent communicator, and strong leader."

The Vikings’ next big decision will come at the quarterback position this offseason when the team chooses between potentially re-signing Sam Darnold or giving the job to J.J. McCarthy, who missed the entire season due to a knee injury after the team took him with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Kevin O'Connell will not coach 2025 on a lame duck contract. The potential 2024 Coach of the Year has struck it rich with a long-term contract extension to keep him leading the Minnesota Vikings for years to come. Terms of the deal haven't been revealed just yet, but the Vikings have confirmed the agreement.