Minnesota Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell sits atop the National Football League in one massively important area

This is an improvement over last year, when Solak ranked them 10th overall. Considering they won 14 games with Sam Darnold last season, it's not a surprise to see them ranked this high. The ranking focuses on just the head coach and coordinators, which includes Wes Phillips and Brian Flores.

Here is what Solak had to say about the Vikings' elite coaching staff.

But I wondered if O'Connell, another branch off the Shanahan-McVay tree, could innovate and evolve beyond the tried-and-true system he had run with Kirk Cousins to that point. What could he offer a younger quarterback in need of development?

The answer: a whole lot! Not necessarily to the quarterback we expected, as Sam Darnold started the entire season in J.J. McCarthy's absence -- but what a season it was. O'Connell's mastery is in opening intermediate and downfield passing windows. Darnold had more passing attempts at least 10 yards downfield than any other quarterback, and NFL Next Gen Stats charted those targets with an average separation of 2.7 yards -- fifth highest in the league.

O'Connell has easily leaped into that utmost echelon of offensive designers, and Flores remains the cream of the defensive crop. There are always little things to wonder about -- scheming for a rookie is different from scheming for a veteran, even if that veteran had never been successful elsewhere -- but there is no doubt that O'Connell & Co. elevate players more than any other coaching staff in football.

The other interesting element with this discussion is that Solak didn't consider the strength of position coaches, which is arguably where the Vikings are at their best. Keenan McCardell, Josh McCown, and Daronte Jones are among the best coaches at their positions.

As we enter the 2025 season, the Vikings are in a great spot. Starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy is in great hands with O'Connell and the rest of the coaching staff, and that could finally get the Vikings that ever elusive Super Bowl.