{
  "id": 9284100,
  "title": "‘You are lucky you still have your job’… Stephen A. Smith sends message to Minnesota Vikings head coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/you-are-lucky-you-still-have-your-job-stephen-a-smith-sends-message",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-23T05:56:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lucky-still-job-stephen-smith-055642757.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Stephen A. Smith expressed his opinion on Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. The coach has led the team to two seasons with 13 or more victories during his tenure, with just one losing season to his name. Smith highlighted two reasons for O'Connell's continued employment. First, the Vikings possess a strong roster, including talented receivers and a formidable defense. However, the team's success may hinge on their quarterback's performance. Smith emphasized the critical role of the quarterback position, pointing out that a poor QB play could ruin the entire team. Second, Smith praised O'Connell for his luck in holding onto his job. This luck stems from the fact that O'Connell took on the challenge of leading the team with J.J. McCarthy, a quarterback who had never thrown a single pass in the NFL. The Vikings faced significant obstacles due to McCarthy's inexperience, as they sacrificed Justin Jefferson's season to make this decision. Smith concluded that the team's outside quarterback situation needs to be addressed for them to maintain their success and avoid potential downfall.",
  "summary": "Stephen A. Smith points out key reason why Kevin O’Connell should be considered lucky to still be Minnesota Vikings head coach.",
  "key_points": [],
  "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."
}