Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell says last year’s 14-3 season was a big step toward getting the franchise where it wants to go. Now it’s time to take the next step.
“As I told our team when we came back to training camp, I think the foundation has been set,” O’Connell said on NFL Network. “A lot of the players we’ve been able to sign in free agency or draft, they’re here and they understand that they’re now part of building that up to even greater heights.”
To O’Connell, greater heights means a Super Bowl.
“The next step for this organization is becoming, in my opinion, championship-worthy,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell said the Vikings tune out outside noise, noting that last season, few saw his team finishing with 14 wins.
“At this point last year, people were talking about that 14-win team like we could have the first pick in the draft,” O’Connell said.
Through three seasons as the Vikings’ head coach, O’Connell has a solid 34-17 record in the regular season, but he’s 0-2 in the playoffs. Winning in the postseason is the next step.