BEREA, Ohio – Similarities between the Vikings and Browns head coaches go beyond their first names.
Minnesota Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and Cleveland Head Coach Kevin Stefanski both are offensive minded. Both are play callers for their respective teams, and both worked their way through the ranks of NFL coaching to now be at the helm.
In addition, both have plenty of experience joining "Voice of the Vikings" Paul Allen on KFAN's 9 to Noon.
It seemed only fitting that Allen sit down with both Kevins in Cleveland after the teams' first of two joint practices, which are a precursor to Saturday's preseason game.
Allen welcomed back Stefanski, who was part of the Vikings organization from 2006-19 before earning his first head coaching gig in 2020 for the Browns, and asked the coaches about their connection.
O'Connell called Stefanski a special leader and "damn good football coach," noting that he's always handled business "the right way."
"I'm always trying to get to know him better, but we'll save that for the league meetings," O'Connell quipped.
View photos of players during joint practice with the Cleveland Browns on Aug. 14 at the Browns training facility.
Stefanski pointed out the multiple points of crossover between the Browns and Vikings organizations, as well, including the fact that O'Connell's first-ever NFL coaching job was leading the Browns QBs in 2015.
"Just think about that. Nine years later, here you are. Some things have changed. Buildings change, but some faces are still the same, right? Same thing for me [with the Vikings]," Stefanski said. "So K.O. gets to come here and see some people that he remembers from his days, and I'm getting to see a bunch of former Vikings that I spent all those years with, so it's fun for both of us, both sides of it."
Below are four topics Allen discussed with the coaches he affectionately referred to as "AFC Kevin" and "NFC Kevin."
1. Shared respect for Harrison Smith
Stefanski had the privilege of seeing the first eight seasons of All-Pro safety Harrison Smith's career, starting with the day Minnesota drafted him 29th overall in 2012.
O'Connell took over the Vikings head coaching job in 2022 and now is coaching Smith as he enters his 13th season in Purple.
Stefanski said Smith remains one of his favorite players he's coached – and noted he's not his favorite player to now coach against.
"That is not fun," Stefanski laughed. "Because he's so cerebral. Even today, he was doing some stuff, and I was busting his chops. He was making calls. He was making fake – I knew he was making fake calls – so he's messing with us there. And then just the ball skills that Harry has, the [number] of balls he's gotten to in his career – just so athletic, plays so hard."
O'Connell said he appreciates when Smith, 35, visits his office for a cup of coffee and a chat about Xs and Os.
"When you have a guy that's played as long as Harry has, sometimes it's good for him, too – therapeutic to be around somebody a little closer to his age up in the head ball coach's office," joked O'Connell, who turned 39 this spring. "But I really value people that are the same version of themselves, which is great every day, authentic. You know exactly what you're going to get.
"I can lean on him. He's such an unbelievable leader in how he does it. His leadership style, I think, is really one of one," O'Connell added. "And I can say he's one of my favorite players I've ever coached, as long as Justin Jefferson's not about 15 feet away – and then we've got a problem. But no, I absolutely love him."
2. Christian Darrisaw vs. Myles Garrett
Though it remains unclear whether O'Connell or Stefanski will play any starters in the upcoming preseason game, one thing is certain: Darrisaw and Garrett are two of the league's top players at their respective positions, and a matchup between them is one to watch.
During the interview, Allen asked Stefanski and O'Connell to speak on the opposing coach's player.
"That's a good-looking kid. I mean, that's what you want 'em to look like. He is so physical," Stefanski said of Darrisaw. "I didn't get to see a lot of it while I was out there [Wednesday], but I can't wait to watch No. 95 (Garrett) go against No. 71 (Darrisaw). I mean, that's good on good. And just to see how those guys work together and work different moves against each other. That kid's pretty special."
O'Connell shared that he'd joked with Garrett about considering taking Thursday's practice off after giving Minnesota's offense a tough challenge Wednesday. He compared the respect Garrett commands with that of former defensive tackle Aaron Donald, whom he overlapped with as the Rams offensive coordinator.
"You always knew where the slide was going; you always knew that there was going to be two or three guys blocking [Donald]. I think it's the same way with Myles Garrett, and they just happen to have three or four or five other really good rushers on that front," O'Connell said. "So you really have to be aware of where he is at all times, because he's a game wrecker. Really, you know, one of the top – if not the top – edge rusher in our league. I have a lot of respect for how he plays all downs, plays the run. You know, instinctive versus the different types of screens and things that he's going to see as a really, really good rusher. He can handle getting chipped on the edges. I just think he's spectacular."
3. Building an offense
O'Connell and Stefanski have both earned reputations around the league of being skilled offensive coaches, and Allen asked their respective approaches to "designing" their systems as head coaches.
Both stressed the importance of collaborating with the full coaching staff and being open to new concepts or suggestions.
O'Connell referenced his experience learning from former coaches Jay Gruden (Washington) and Chip Kelly (San Francisco), as well as his more recent time with Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, and recalled times when he contributed an idea to the offense that ended up being used.
"I think it's important, because then your staff's dialed in and hopefully guys feel like they've got real roles," O'Connell said.
Stefanski added, "Good ideas come from everywhere."
"Some of your young coaches will bring you a play from, honestly, sometimes high school, sometimes college, and you look at it, and you put on the board, and then you say, 'All right, maybe we could do this.' And you just tweak it," Stefanski explained. "You push all those ideas in the middle of the table and you see which ones make it, but there's a lot of pruning going on. And 'Hey this, this will work for us. I know why they did that, but that really doesn't fit our scheme. Let's try this.' So, it's a lot of mixing, matching, and then it also helps when you have good players."
4. Team identities for 2024
After pitching multiple questions for O'Connell and Stefanski, Allen wrapped up the interview by asking each one to highlight "what you like about your squad" and provide a brief preview heading into the 2024 season.
Stefanski said the Browns are figuring out who they are for the upcoming season.
"There are certain things we hang our hat on that will never change, and how we play, the things that we believe in, offensively, defensively, special teams," he said, "but this time of August is when you're starting to streamline what you do on all three [phases] of the ball. So right now, I see a team that's working hard, but we're miles to go before Sept. 8. We have a lot of work to do."
O'Connell resonated heavily with what Stefanski said, saying so much is built on football philosophies – that remain in place form season to season – he and the Vikings coaching staff believe in.
"But there are still things like play style. There are still things like effort, you know, the guys having the mental understanding of the challenges that will be ahead schematically, week in and week out," he said. "You're really laying the foundation for all that right now, but that you never, ever can shy away from looking each other square in the eyes in the building and saying, 'Are we being who we say we are?' Are you establishing that core foundation belief of how you want your football team to look?
"If you're not, there's still time, but as I'll tell the guys tonight, 'Day one at Cleveland is over. We get one more op tomorrow to come out here and continue to shape what the 2024 Minnesota Vikings will look like,' " O'Connell added. "And no better place to do it than [Stefanski's] shop here, man. This has been awesome."
To listen to the full interview and additional topics discussed among Allen, O'Connell and Stefanski, click here.
