Gary Meyers has taken aim at Kevin O'Connell, arguing that the criticism of J.J. McCarthy has gone too far while also questioning whether the Vikings coach has done enough to be treated as a quarterback guru. The discussion now sits squarely in the middle of the Kevin O'Connell Kyler Murray Vikings conversation, with McCarthy’s next chapter still very much part of the story.
Before the Giants traded for J.J. McCarthy, Meyers said the possibility was already a legitimate topic to monitor. The Giants then paid a 5th to make the move, and last weekend McCarthy stepped into the fourth quarter and found Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely. It was enough to keep the focus on what McCarthy can still become, even after Minnesota moved on from him as part of a new era.
Why Meyers pushed back on the O'Connell narrative
Meyers was blunt about the way some of the reaction around McCarthy has been framed. “One thing that’s laughable: Once Vikings gave up on JJ McCarthy, the narrative was if Kevin O’Connell didn’t want him, he was never going to be any good. When did KOC become Bill Walsh?” he said.
That is the core of the debate. O’Connell has been praised in some circles for helping quarterbacks look better, but Meyers argued that the credit has been overstated. His point was not that O’Connell lacks all value as a coach, but that one quarterback decision should not turn him into an automatic measuring stick for development.
The Sam Darnold comparison keeps the argument alive
Meyers also pointed to Sam Darnold when making his case. “He got credit for Sam Darnold, but it was the year with Kyle Shanahan in SF behind Brock Purdy that turned around Sam’s career,” he said.
That comparison matters because it undercuts the idea that O’Connell alone should receive full credit for every quarterback who improves under his watch. The broader argument is that context, coaching environment and timing all shape a player’s career, and Meyers wanted to make sure O’Connell was not being put on the kind of pedestal that only the best in the game deserve.
Playoff success remains the key test
There is also a simple reality hanging over O'Connell: results. Meyers asked the question directly. “Shouldn’t KOC at least win his first playoff game before he’s considered some QB genius?”
That is a fair challenge, and it frames the issue in the clearest possible way. O'Connell may be respected for his offensive ideas, but playoff success is still the benchmark that separates a good coach from one who is viewed as truly elite.
For McCarthy, the picture is less final than some of the commentary suggests. He is still a 23-year-old quarterback with time to build a future, and the Giants’ decision to trade for him suggests there remains belief in what he can become. For O'Connell, the scrutiny is not going away until the playoff record improves and the debate over his quarterback judgment is settled on the field.
