Kevin O'Connell - Head Coach, vikings Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-09 | Full transcript (primary source).
Kevin O'Connell, Head Coach of the Vikings, addressed the media during a press conference on September 9, 2026, as the team prepared for their season opener against a divisional rival. The conference focused on the upcoming game at U.S. Bank Stadium, the team's preparations, and the return of player Harrison Smith.
Related analysis: Our take on what this means
Transcript
O'Connell: You know obviously week one of the regular season divisional opponent we know really well and you know just excited for the opportunity to get a chance to open up U.S. Bank Stadium this year with that type of environment and atmosphere that I know we're going to have. It's you know it's going to be electric and can't wait, can't wait till Sunday but we're you know we're off and running with our continued preparation from last week into this week get these guys as much work as we can because we know it's going to be a great challenge really really good football team. Matt does an unbelievable job with his staff coaching that group to play in a way that's hard to beat and we've got to find a way to you know really establish what we want to be this year as a as a football team. I know it's been a few days since I you know last talked to you guys and with the news on Harrison Smith obviously really really excited to have Harry back in back in house here and I know our team was really excited and you know we got better as a team when you when you have that guy in your building your locker room on your field with your defense so he's just working through you know kind of getting you know getting his cleats back underneath them you know don't know quite yet where we'll be at as far as his availability for this week's game but obviously it was a you know a move made with clear clear-cut you know intentions on on his role and and when that when that begins you know we'll be when he's ready to go so we'll keep you guys posted on that you know I know you'll get the injury report but really expecting you know all players to be you know out there and accounted for besides Jacoby Thomas does have you know just an illness today he came in with so we'll we'll see how he does the rest of the week but go ahead.
Reporter: Kevin, what was the conversation when Harrison said I'm back?
O'Connell: Yeah it was you know after you know our dialogue throughout the off seasons or throughout the offseason and summer training camp it was you know we continued talking about a lot of the things we talked about and then he he let me know what it what you know what his hopes were and intentions were and I was really excited about it and then it we went right back to talking about something else but I'm just excited to be in my office for coffee on Friday and I'm sure I'll get a little smarter and become a better person with the time I get with him then.
Reporter: Kevin, with the process of him going through this decision and asking about it just from your perspective what was the thing that led him to say yeah I'm ready to do this?
O'Connell: Then I think it was you know he goes through the offseason and probably enjoyed you know the freedom enjoyed the time with his family and really wouldn't necessarily know until you know probably football started around training camp getting started which you know probably didn't nudge him all the way to a point that he wanted to play knowing that if he if he would have got the itch at that point that would have meant training camp for him and you know he's you know he's in great shape you know he he's kind of you could tell by just the way he came in you know he had a mentality of you know coming in in shape and not really needing a ramp up period for a guy with that level experience and knowing what it's going to take but as we you know as we worked closer towards the end of the camp and the dialogue of you know where he was at and I think he just you know he feels like he can play still and he feels like specifically his role in our defense and the enjoyment he has you know in many ways you know being a quarterback out there for that group and what flow allows him to do and what the what those teammates out there give him the ability to do and it's you know I think it was a pretty easy decision for him.
Reporter: Kevin how do you balance taking advantage of Harrison coming back with continuing to build up the other guys and those younger guys in that room?
O'Connell: Yeah I think it's naturally gonna happen just you know kind of the role and kind of what we intend to do with it and just the different phases of the game the kicking game early downs you know weighty downs all those things so we've got a good plan for that and I still think you know there's gonna be plenty of work for for some young talented players that you know really made this Harry's decision more so then then you know us feeling like it had to happen for us to have success and that's a credit to Nolan and his staff and the depth in that room.
O'Connell: Yeah I think it's it's it's one thing for them to be healthy but then it's you know it's the work that's been done I mean you guys that have been here every day you see what that groups get doing and how keep Keith pushes that group and like I told the team today you know all of that and the work that's been put in has been to set you up to have confidence but it's gonna be a physical game it's a really good defense Jonathan Gannon does a he's always you know as a coordinator been a really tough guy to go up against and he's gonna do some things that make life hard especially knowing the unscouted nature of you know very very limited information of what the Green Bay Packers version of JG's defense is gonna be so you know well the key thing for me is applying and trusting the foundation that got built from a fundamentals and technique and then the overall scheme mentality and how we want to play offensively.
Reporter: Harry play Sunday?
O'Connell: Absolutely yeah we just we you know obviously we'll practice for the first time today and and we'll kind of assess where he's at and and really that'll just be dialogue between Harry and Tyler flow and myself and we'll see if he's ready to go.
Reporter: Kevin we talked I think mostly after the Christmas game last year about just the importance of playing complementary football and doing whatever was required to win that Sunday I guess in your career when did that kind of cement that idea in your head of what is required in that sense and how do you utilize that lesson moving forward even when you expect the offense to probably be more productive?
O'Connell: Yeah I think that's you know one of the things that you know I probably am so appreciative about the experience you know of the four years leading up to this year that that you have because you've got to learn some things as far as not only just how you approach trying to win one game every Sunday and they're all different every every weekend is a challenge schematically personnel wise where your team's at from a health standpoint where your team's at you know at certain positions and ultimately all we're tasked with doing is is trying to win a game you know for 60 minutes every week and it sounds like a cliche until you learn you know it doesn't matter what you know what the stat box looks like it doesn't matter what you know an EPA looks like I mean like when you you know you need to know those things to know how teams may view what you're gonna you know be successful at or what they need to prepare for but ultimately you learn that none of those other things matter because winning is the only thing that matters and that's kind of what we were able to learn as a team but most importantly probably me last year of figuring out different ways to win however we had to each week and the principles don't change you still need to be good with the ball you need to try to take the ball away the play style has to be what you want and then you know you've got to be able to manage situations throughout the game and prepare your team for those moments as they come to you so you're ready for them to have success.
Reporter: With Harrison did you have a hunch this summer that if you hadn't said no what by that point it would be possible?
O'Connell: No honestly no you know and he probably kept it that way on purpose you know depending on when I got him depending on how his round of golf went depending on you know where he you know where he finished in the club championship you know I could get a different version of him but I started to get a pretty a pretty good idea you know over the last few weeks that you know that this could be a possibility I'm excited about it.
Reporter: Glenn?
O'Connell: Yeah so we're gonna you know Carson will be the backup on on Sunday and you know JJ will obviously be the the third guy and really I'm looking at that right now Kevin as a week-to-week thing and and I think you know Carson he's got almost a hundred career starts what he was able to do last year from a standpoint of very limited repetition but being able to apply a careers worth of experience that's kind of what you need to do as a backup quarterback especially early on when so much of the emphasis is gonna be on getting as Kyler as comfortable as we can possibly get him but JJ is you know he's still gonna get a bunch of great work you know as Carson will you know given our defense a look and and then there's there's time before there's time after the development of a player that you know we're really you know I'm just really excited to continue to get a chance to work with him and then want to make it week-to-week so you know when we feel like we need to you know declare something different we can and we will and but this is you know this gives us the best chance to win this Sunday.
Reporter: Is that based on a massive thing or is it based on putting back there?
O'Connell: Yeah I think it's I think it's just you know it's a progression it's you know his mindset and his his confidence level based upon work that can now be done with you know no pressure on him and he's still two snaps away so he's also got to still prepare you know he had even today had some great questions regarding the game plan bouncing around you know he's still a you know a beacon of energy on this team that those traits are always going to be there for him and that was a honestly when you think about like the plan and the offseason and trying to put the quarterback room together the way we did it was it was about not only trying to make sure we you know ascended at the top end of the room but there JJ still a young player was so much football still ahead of him and just really excited I know myself Josh Jordan to work with him every day and see continue to see that ascension so if and when we feel like he is ready and gives us the best chance being one snap away with limited reps you know we can we can obviously do that.
Reporter: There's a big one just rainy camp with Kyle Murray underneath your belt how has he helped you evolve and adapt as a play caller heading into the season?
O'Connell: I think it's kind of been kind of in alignment with how we're evolving and adapting as a team you know with some of the some of the changes we've made you know on the staff personnel wise and then ultimately just trying to make sure as we go into this game that Kyler is comfortable he's excited he's confident he knows the plan it's working really hard at it and you know then it's gonna be so much so so much about our offense and the 11 guys out there regardless of the personnel groupings regardless of the D&D I'm just excited to see this team kind of in this group on offense kind of attack the challenge together every Sunday is hard and you know how we navigate those things together will be a big indicator not only of Kyler but our whole offense and it's a long season and we've got to be ready to obviously attack and chase the success we think this group can have but there can be great lessons learned that help you during the season for the next Sunday as adversity comes as well so a lot to be excited about but so much work still to be done.
Reporter: Just big picture what do you think judges head is and obviously you started the offseason competing for the starting role and now he's the emergency guy on the desert floor?
O'Connell: Yeah you know and you know I would be cautious about you know the depth chart and what that means and what does this mean it's good to hear you talk about you know the big picture because I think with a young quarterback there's always a big picture that's probably a larger scale and a larger mentality than then the week one depth chart but at the same time like I thought he's been incredibly professional how he like the conversations that him and I have had both pre during and post that he's excited to continue to grow and and get better he's still a young quarterback in the NFL with 10 starts and a bunch of talent and a bunch of things that you know get you know make him a guy that we want to pour into every single day and the best part is is he's he's gonna work as hard as anybody and and you know that's where it's at but I do appreciate you asking about the big picture.
