Kevin O’Connell is doing an incredible job with the Minnesota Vikings.

Despite moving on from Kirk Cousins and losing rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a season-ending injury, the Vikings head into Thursday Night Football with a 5-1 record.

GettyO’Connell began his NFL carer with the Patriots[/caption]

After Sunday’s loss to the NFC North rival Detroit Lions, O’Connell has the chance to get back on track against his former mentor Sean McVay and his 2-4 Los Angeles Rams.

‘The rising star ‘KOC’ was McVay’s offensive coordinater before taking over as Vikings head coach in 2022.

But it was his time as a rookie third-string quarterback with the New England Patriots that sowed the seeds of the 39-year-old’s future career.

O’Connell arrived in New England as a third-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

He was behind Tom Brady, who had just led an unbeaten season only to fall to the New York Giants at Super Bowl XLII, and regular backup Matt Cassel.

“I was so ready to watch this artist go to work,” O’Connell said of the seven-time Super Bowl champion.

Brady had not missed a game in seven seasons since being named starter but tore his ACL in Week 1.

It thrust Cassel under center and increased the responsibilities on O’Connell as he tried to help his teammate prepare for games alongside legendary coach Bill Belichick.

“It’s unbelievable thinking back,” O’Connell told The Athletic in 2022.

“We would have meetings with him, have a dialogue with him throughout the week, and then just the situational football side of things — how much you can learn just from having your ears open and being willing to listen and absorb what he was trying to teach.

GettyBelichick and Brady were a dominant force and O’Connell had the chance to learn from both[/caption]

GettyThe Vikings started the season 5-0 to stun pundits[/caption]

“That will always stick with me — just the connection he makes with each player on the team no matter where you stand on the roster.

“Ultimately, you know what the expectations will be for you, and then ultimately you’ll know whether you did or didn’t reach those goals because the communication there is so good.”

O’Connell was the perfect backup.

“We spent so much time together that year,” Cassel said.

“We developed such a tight, close friendship at that point because I always felt like he had my back whether it was a good day or a bad day. He was awesome on the sideline, always into it.

“He understood that his opportunity could come at any time, and we really worked hard.

“Josh McDaniels was outstanding in helping him develop, spending extra time with him, speaking with us. We spent a ton of time in Belichick’s office breaking down film and defenses with him.

“It was just an introduction for him that was turned up to a whole other level very early in the season, which was not anticipated.”

O’Connell bounced around the NFL until retiring in 2012 and worked in TV until starting his coaching career in 2015.

His first major break came as offensive coordinator with the Washington Commanders in 2019, before he had the chance to work with McVay in LA.

But it was Belichick’s influence which set him on his current path.

“Anybody who gets to go (to New England) as a young player has an understanding of what’s been put together by Coach Belichick there and the great players they’ve had come through there and the great coaches that Coach Belichick has had with him,” O’Connell told The Athletic.

“You get an opportunity on a daily basis for Football 501, learn at the highest level, be tested on that, be put in situations to really know where you’re at.

“Ultimately, what it did for me was enhance my love of football even more and probably plant that initial seed to get into the coaching profession in the first place.”

GettyMcVay comes up against his close friend on Thursday Night Football[/caption]

Belichick is no longer in the NFL, although it is believed he is keen to pick up the clipboard again should the right opportunity arise.

His influence on generations of coaches will last far beyond his time in the league.

O’Connell may turn out to be the best of them – and McVay will not underestimate his former pupil.

“I think he’s done a great job over the first two years, with a variety of different situations that have presented themselves. I think he’s got a great coaching staff,” McVay told Sports Illustrated.

“They’ve done a great job of being able to add players that fit the identity that they want to play with.

“Kevin’s a guy that made a tremendous influence and impact as a coach here. I’m not surprised and I’m happy for those guys. We’ll give them our best shot on Thursday.”

“He’s one of my closest friends in this league,” O’Connell told Vikings.com of McVay. “I have so much love for him.

“[I’ll] always look back on those two years [together] as incredibly impactful.

“Winning a Super Bowl was something that I will not ever forget, for sure.”

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