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Kevin O’Connell Reveals Reason for Punishing Jordan Addison as Vikings HC Confirms WR’s Reaction

Originally posted on EssentiallySports | By Sehaj Kour | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 1:55 PM ET

When the Minnesota Vikings took the field in Week 5, one player stood out for his absence during the opening quarter: Jordan Addison . The 23-year-old receiver sat on the sidelines due to the coach’s decision, sparking questions about injury or other issues.

The reason behind the first-quarter bench was clarified on X by VikingzFanPage. According to O’Connell, Addison missed a team walkthrough earlier in the week, which “isn’t in alignment with our standards.” That explanation confirmed that Addison’s absence was disciplinary, not injury-related, as ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted.

#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said Jordan Addison missed a walkthrough this week, and that isn’t “in alignment with our standards,” per KOC. That was part of the reason why Addison didn’t play in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/AWNpcwh03t

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 5, 2025

Addison more than made up for the early benching, finishing the game with five catches for 41 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with just 24 seconds remaining. On that final drive, he also hauled in two crucial passes, including a diving 5-yard gain, keeping the Vikings’ comeback hopes alive.

This article first appeared on EssentiallySports and was syndicated with permission.

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