You don’t have to be a professional lip reader to decipher what Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said in the direction of special teams coordinator Matt Daniels after the Bears’ critical kick return in Sunday’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
“Are you f***ing kidding me!?”
The FOX broadcast captured O’Connell’s frustration in the moments following Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard return, which gave Chicago the ball at the Vikings’ 40. Three runs later, Cairo Santos was in position to hit a 48-yard field goal that delivered a 19-17 Bears win and a huge blow to Minnesota’s slim playoff hopes.
Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell’s reaction after the Bears long kick return with less than a minute left in the game. pic.twitter.com/oUCEgIZ1lE
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 16, 2025
O’Connell’s displeasure was understandable. His offense, which had struggled so much all game, had just delivered a 10-play, 85-yard drive, culminating in a J.J. McCarthy touchdown pass to Jordan Addison to give the Vikings a 17-16 lead. Brian Flores’ defense, which had mostly bottled up Caleb Williams and the Bears’ passing game, just needed one more stop. But because of the kick return, the defense never had a chance.
Maybe Daniels just happened to walk by O’Connell after the play. Maybe O’Connell sought him out. Either way, the head coach clearly appeared to glance at his special teams coordinator while expressing his frustration with such a critical mistake.
It’s hard to know exactly what went wrong with the Vikings’ coverage unit on the return. Rookie receiver Tai Felton (13) may have crashed too hard inside, leaving a big lane for Duvernay on the right side of the field. Veteran Tavierre Thomas (37), who is on the roster solely for special teams, was the furthest player to that side of the field, and he was sealed off by a great block from Josh Blackwell (39 in white). Good blocks were also made against rookie defensive linemen Tyler Batty (96) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (90) in the middle of the play.
Eric Wilson (55), who started at the far opposite side of the field, was able to chase Duvernay down and force him out of bounds, but the damage had already been done.
Devin Duvernay with a big return for the Bears!
CHIvsMIN on FOX/FOX One+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/VnO79mQPYw
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
The Vikings could’ve had Will Reichard kick the ball through the end zone to avoid the possibility of a big return, but with the new rules putting touchbacks at the 35-yard-line, they presumably thought they could make a tackle without the Bears getting to the 35.
“I gotta take a look at it,” O’Connell said of the play. “Those are always tough for me to judge. But yeah, that was a massive, massive play in a day where the special teams units had had such a role in helping us win the field position battle. … It’s the nature of when you’re losing the turnover battle and maybe you’re leaving some plays out there, your margin of error becomes razor-thin for your whole team.”
Special teams have mostly been a positive for the Vikings this season. Rookie Myles Price, who has been dynamic as both a kick and punt returner, had three punt returns for 79 yards in this game, including a 43-yarder that set up Minnesota’s first of two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Reichard has made 38 of his 40 kicks this year. Punter Ryan Wright has been solid, as have the coverage units.
The Vikings’ issues on special teams have been the one or two critical mistakes that have seemed to pop up in almost every game this season — often involving flags being thrown. Minnesota came into this game leading the league with 158 yards worth of special teams penalties. Price could be having a truly incredible season if not for numerous penalties that have negated big returns. There was another one — a holding call on Jay Ward — in Sunday’s game.
This week, the key mistake was allowing Duvernay’s kick return. Last week, it was a Price fumble that led to a Ravens touchdown. The week prior, Price had a touchdown nullified by a holding call on Thomas, who also negated a huge Price return against the Steelers in Dublin.
It’s been a theme of the Vikings’ season, and it certainly makes you wonder about the future job security of Daniels, who has been Minnesota’s special teams coordinator for the entire four-year O’Connell era thus far.
