Brian O’Neill on Vikings’ contract extension: ‘I love everything that goes into this’
Brian O'Neill on Vikings' contract extension: 'We love it here'
The Minnesota Vikings signed right tackle and team captain Brian O'Neill to a contract extension before the start of training camp. It's reportedly for $96 million over four years. O'Neill spoke before Wednesday's practice at TCO Performance Center about what the team's investment means to him.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - Brian O’Neill took the podium before Wednesday’s first practice of Minnesota Vikings’ training camp at TCO Performance Center and admitted he’s not used to being the center of attention.
He was for one day, after the Vikings signed him to a four-year contract extension before the start of camp. He was all smiles fielding questions from reporters. The deal is worth a reported $96 million, so the joy was genuine.
"I just want to start by saying how excited I am to stay in Minnesota. I’m really excited keep this journey going and I’m going to give it my all every single day to finally get over that hump and go where we really want to go," O’Neill said.
‘I hated the whole spring situation’
The backstory:
O’Neill entered the offseason in the final year of what was his current contract. Without a deal in place, the eight-year veteran and captain sat out most of the voluntary parts of the offseason workout program.
He said contract talks between the team and his agent picked up in the weeks leading up to training camp, before the deal was announced on Tuesday. He’s a mix of happy and relieved that he could get back on the field, and he didn’t have to consider free agency.
"Those were some pretty fun phone calls to make," O’Neill said. "Not to mince words, I hated the whole spring situation. I don’t like not doing everything, I like being out there no matter what it is, walkthroughs, practices. I didn’t have to wonder too much what the other road would look like. Happy it didn’t get to that point."
A veteran and leader
Why you should care:
O’Neill is entering his ninth season, all with the Vikings. He’s started 120 of his 124 career games at right tackle, and missed just six games over the past three seasons.
He says he loves the grind that football is, day in and day out. He’s never played to prove the doubters wrong, rather to prove people right who have believed in him. He was asked what he’s most proud of in his eight years with the Vikings, and turned it around with what motivates him the most.
Getting to and winning a Super Bowl.
"We’ve won one playoff game in eight years, so I’m not going to sit and here and be like it’s been fun. We haven’t done it," O’Neill said. "I want to be most proud of when I’m done here, that we went on a couple runs and gave ourselves a chance at the big one."