No head coach in NFL history has fared better over his first three seasons than Matt LaFleur, who will take his staggering 39-10 record with the Green Bay Packers and three NFC North titles to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
The last two of those first-place finishes came in a runaway, one reason why O'Connell is here as the successor to Mike Zimmer in this attempt by the Vikings to reset without rebuilding and retake the division they haven't won since 2017.
When Kevin O'Connell takes the field with the Minnesota Vikings for his first game as a head coach, the 37-year-old will carry with him the blank slate that's one of the benefits of being a rookie in this high-pressure, much-coveted job.
O'Connell needn't be concerned for now about being booed at home by impatient or inebriated fans. His play calls and game management will be closely scrutinized in the media, at the stadium and on the couch, sure, but even with a ready-made roster full of proven starters and more than a couple of stars, the heat won't turn up every week he doesn't win for a while.
LaFleur was also a first-timer when he was hired by the Packers at age 39, bringing a similar background of playing and coaching quarterback and serving as an offensive coordinator on the way up. He and O'Connell both held that role under Rams head coach Sean McVay (LaFleur in 2017 and O'Connell from 2020-21), and they have the same agent (Trace Armstrong).
