The relationship between general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell is among the best of any in the NFL. The relationship between those two positions is so important that it cannot be overstated.

For the Vikings, that relationship has allowed for roster building that has seen the team have a turnaround that is quicker than most in the NFL. They have used free agency and the draft to build an offense that is among the best in the NFL, he gave O’Connell his project of a young quarterback, and now he has a chance to lead them to a Super Bowl.

In a recent piece by The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, he wrote a profile of the Vikings general manager, but within it was a quote that told how the general manager sees his head coach.

Lewis writes, “Kevin has an incredible mental model. Every coach I’ve ever met, I look at how they call games. They look at the tape. They study what they do the most. That’s counting. I probably talk about it more because I’m passionate about it, and maybe there’s some kid like me out there who loves this stuff.”

The game of football is often seen as a physical game, but the mental aspects of it are often overlooked. When you have a coach who approaches things the way O’Connell does, it allows for your team to remain calm and problem-solve at a better rate than most.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah clearly sees that and appreciates that.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Vikings HC: ‘Incredible mental model’