Vikings interview Todd Bowles, Raheem Morris, Kevin O'Connell for head coach

Jan. 22—The Vikings on Friday interviewed three candidates for head coach on teams that remain the playoffs.

The Vikings had virtual interviews with Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell. Bowles and Morris are both former NFL head coaches.

Minnesota has now interviewed seven candidates in the search to replace Mike Zimmer, who was fired Jan. 10. The Vikings also fired general manager Rick Spielman that day.

Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf has said the Vikings will interview a general manager before hiring a head coach, and the general manager will have input in the selection of the coach. A source said Friday that Minnesota has two finalists for general manager in Cleveland Browns vice president of football operations Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kansas City Chiefs executive director of player personnel Ryan Poles. After both had virtual interviews earlier this week, Adofo-Mensah is expected to have a second interview in Minnesota on Tuesday before Poles comes in Wednesday.

The Rams on Sunday will play at Tampa Bay in an NFC divisional playoff, so it was important for the Vikings to get interviews done Friday with the coaches..

Bowles, 58, is his third season with the Buccaneers. He has had two stints as a head coach. He was Miami's interim coach in 2011, going 2-1, and was New York Jets coach from 2015-18, going 24-40.

Morris, 45, is in his first season with the Rams. He was Tampa Bay's head coach from 2009-11, going 17-31. He was interim coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, going 4-7.

O'Connell, 36, is in his second season with the Rams after having that position for Washington in 2019. As Washington's quarterbacks coach in 2017, O'Connell worked with current Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The Vikings have interviewed three candidates who have been NFL head coaches. On Wednesday, they spoke with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, a former Falcons coach who was replaced midway through the 2020 season by Morris.