{
  "id": 5644349,
  "title": "Vikings don't utilize shotgun snaps often with Kevin O'Connell",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/vikings-dont-utilize-shotgun-snaps-often-with-kevin-oconnell",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-04T21:04:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-dont-utilize-shotgun-snaps-210455713.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Head coach Kevin O Connell of the Minnesota Vikings has faced criticism over the past year for his team's performance and quarterback development. Recently, his strategies have come under scrutiny more than ever as he has named three different week-one starters in just two years. Despite his reputation as a quarterback mentor, O Connell ranks among the worst NFL play-callers in one specific area. Since joining the Vikings in 2022, he has been solely responsible for calling plays. A concerning statistic regarding new quarterback Kyler Murray is that since 2022, Minnesota has the third-lowest shotgun snap percentage in the NFL, at 53%. In contrast, Kyler Murray, who is set to join the Cardinals, utilized the shotgun formation in 85% of his snaps during his tenure with Arizona. This significant difference in play-calling methods could pose a significant challenge for Murray, who will need to adapt to a drastically different style of offense. While Minnesota's offense shows promise for the future, the low ceiling of this current approach raises concerns about the team's overall stability.",
  "summary": "This is the category where Kevin O'Connell ranks last among NFL playcallers.",
  "key_points": [
    "Minnesota Vikings use shotgun snaps infrequently, at 53% since 2022",
    "Kyler Murray used shotgun formation 85% of snaps with Arizona",
    "Difference in play-calling could challenge Murray's transition to Vikings"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}