After the Minnesota Vikings beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9, Kevin O'Connell went viral for approaching Anthony Richardson after the game. A week after the moment, the head coach reflected on his thoughts at the time, noting how important he felt it was to the young quarterback.
“I just felt like if I can have an opportunity to just let him know how I feel about him, and not only him and where he's at now but where I think he's going in the future, I thought it was a good moment to tell him that,” O'Connell said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “I'm just a big fan, and if you have something to say to uplift somebody else, you might as well say it and not keep it to yourself.”
The game was Richardson's first as the backup to Joe Flacco since the Colts' coaching staff decided to bench him in favor of the veteran. O'Connell's comments were reassuring, as he told the 22-year-old how much he believed in his talent and liked him as a 2023 draft prospect.
Richardson and O'Connell reportedly developed chemistry ahead of the 2023 draft before the Florida alum's impressive combine results shot him up the board. The Colts ended up taking him at No. 4 overall with the Vikings eventually selecting Jordan Addison later in the night.
Vikings seek second win streak in Week 10 against Jaguars
Ending their two-game losing streak, the Vikings picked up their first win in nearly a month by taking down the Colts at home in Week 9. Now 6-2 on the year, Minnesota travels south in Week 10 for a road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The matchup will be their first of a three-game road trip that begins on Sunday.
While a 6-2 record is typically enough to lead a division through nine weeks, that is not the case for the uber-competitive NFC North in 2024. The Vikings are in second place, behind the 7-1 Detroit Lions, who handed them their first loss of the year in Week 7. While they are one game behind the Lions, they are also only a half-game ahead of the third-place Green Bay Packers.
The 2-7 Jaguars have struggled with consistency all year and enter the contest with two straight losses. Health is another concern for them as five offensive starters are currently on the Week 10 injury report, not including wide receiver Christian Kirk, who is out for the year with a broken collarbone.