O'Connell did about a billion interviews leading up to the big game, but there's a comment from Feb. 7 that might've flown under the radar.

The Vikings are almost on the clock. The time to make a decision on how they'll handle their quarterback position is fast approaching. Whether Minnesota will bring back Sam Darnold or venture forth into the J.J. McCarthy era is the question that looms over everything else on the organization's to-do list this offseason.

"Kevin O'Connell told us Sam Darnold has earned the right to be a free agent," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said Feb. 12 on "The Rich Eisen Show ." "That's a way of saying we're not going to use the franchise tag because we don't want to pay him 40 million.

The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for potential roster adjustments to strengthen their chances for the upcoming NFL season. While Sam Darnold’s future remains uncertain, the team has also made a notable move regarding Aaron Jones’ contract.