'That's what makes him special': Why Vikings' Kevin O'Connell is the quintessential modern NFL coach

Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell is the betting favorite to win Coach of the Year.

The Vikings are the NFC 's No. 5 seed, beginning Monday night at the Los Angeles Rams .

O'Conner 's coaching style is a combination of empathy and confidence-boosting, well-suited for today 's NFL .

He is the fifth coach in NFL history to achieve multiple 13 -win seasons in a three-year span.

Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell encourages players to be "the best versions of themselves" NFL Films : "If you have something to say to uplift somebody else, you might as well say it and not keep it to yourself" Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard : "It's not fake at all. I guarantee you that what he said in those conversations was no bulls--- at all".

O'Connell 's Minnesota Vikings lost the final four games of the season in 2023 .

The Vikings lost Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins' torn right Achilles in the season finale.

The defensive tackle says he tightened up his messaging and enforced team rules.

O'Conner 's instincts toward empathy aligns with current sports psychology's thinking about the most effective methods for coaching.