Talking to reporters Tuesday at TCO Performance Center, co owner Mark Wilf confirmed that the Vikings have not discussed contract extensions with head coach Kevin O’Connell or general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, adding that the soonest those conversations would happen would be after this season.
“It’s not something we’re talking about at this point,” Wilf said. “We’re focusing on the season ahead.”
After being hired together in 2022, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah enter 2024 midway through their four-year contracts. Though the Vikings haven’t committed to either of them long term, Wilf spoke glowingly about the culture O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah have helped create since arriving in Minnesota.
“It’s a real good feeling around here,” Wilf said. “There’s great chemistry among our team and players in terms of getting along and working together.”
As the Vikings navigate a transition period, highlighted by selecting rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 draft, it’s hard to judge what exactly success would look like this season. Asked if simply making the playoffs would be enough to earn O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah contract extensions, Wilf responded, “I’m not going to put out a litmus test.”
That said, as long as the Vikings are taking steps in the right direction, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah likely will be in a pretty good spot.
“We’ll judge it like we’ve always done,” Wilf said. “We’ll evaluate the full body of work for everybody.”
In the same breath, Wilf emphasized that he still has high expectations for this season, adding that the ultimate goal will always be winning the Super Bowl. This is already Year 20 for the ownership group, and it still doesn’t have a Lombardi Trophy in its possession.
“We want to win,” Wilf said. “We’re providing the resources and providing the leadership as best we can to make it happen, and I think we’re in a good position to build toward that.”
As for O’Connell, he tried to avoid the question when asked about it, noting that he doesn’t have enough time to think about things that are out of his control.
“I’ve got a full-time gig here where I’ve got to focus on these players and these coaches, making sure we’re having ourselves the best training camp we’ve ever had here, which will hopefully lead into a successful season,” O’Connell said. “I’m very much focused on the task at hand, doing my job every single day, looking for any way I can be better for this organization.”
Briefly
Justin Jefferson missed practice on Tuesday afternoon due to a personal matter. He is expected to be back at practice on Wednesday afternoon.
