When it comes to his abilities as a coach, Kevin O’Connell has been recognized with a lot of distinctions.
At this time, the National Football League Coach of the Year for 2025 is also being honored for his professionalism and his work with the media outside of the football environment.
According to the announcement made by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) on Friday, O’Connell has been selected as the winner of the Horrigan Award for 2025. Following the conclusion of his third season as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, during which he guided the team to a record of 14-3 during the regular season and made it to the postseason, he has been awarded this accolade.
Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) states that the award is presented on an annual basis to a league, club, or other official in recognition of his or her abilities and professional style in assisting professional football writers in performing their duties. Please take into consideration the following that was written about O’Connell:
Among his contemporaries in the coaching profession, O’Connell stands out due to the fact that he is both open and helpful with media.
He conducts one-on-one interviews on a regular basis, holds regular meetings with beat writers for off-the-record conversations, supplies players and assistant coaches with thoughtful explanations for his decisions after games, and cultivates an atmosphere in which players and assistant coaches, such as Grant Udinski, who was the assistant quarterback coach for the Jaguars and later became the offensive coordinator, feel comfortable sharing their personal experiences.
Over the course of his employment, O’Connell has demonstrated a gracious attitude toward members of the media, both internal and external, and has frequently provided insightful responses during press conferences.
The Professional Football Writers Association (PFWA) chose him from among a group of five finalists, which also included the President of the Rams, Kevin Demoff, the General Manager of the 49ers, John Lynch, the Vice President of Communications for the NFL, Brian McCarthy, and the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the NFL, Troy Vincent.
When it comes to the Horrigan Award, O’Connell is the only individual to ever win it as a Viking. It has been since 1973 that this honor has been bestowed. Former Vikings General Manager Jim Finks (1964–1973) won it in 1991 when he was with the Saints.
Former Vikings quarterbacks Archie Manning and Warren Moon earned it before they joined Minnesota. Former Vikings Defensive Coordinator Tony Dungy won it after he became the head coach of the Buccaneers.
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