The Minnesota Vikings had a tough start to the 2023 NFL season. After starting 0-3, the Vikings had turned it over nine times, including four against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 34-28 loss in primetime on Thursday night.
It was a really tough game for the Vikings, as those turnovers were brutal including star wide receiver Justin Jefferson fumbling through the endzone on a near-certain touchdown catch.
If the Vikings turn it over just one less time in each of their three losses, they could have easily been 3-0 going into week four against the Carolina Panthers. After the week two loss against the Eagles, O'Connell let the team have it in the locker room with some NSFW language.
I had ZERO idea Kevin O’Connell could get fired up like this…
— Patrick Siepman (@PatSieps) July 10, 2024
I love it. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/aJBAzjfuSE
O'Connell had every right to be pissed. His team had just given two games away by turning the ball over a combined seven times while losing by a total of nine points. Jefferson had accepted responsibility for his fumble on the sidelines and was the same in the locker room.
Things were so close to being different in the 2024 season, but that reaction shows what kind of leaders both O'Connell and Jefferson are. That bodes well for the future of the organization.
