It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. So, ultimately, we didn't accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish, and I always want to be respectful of that. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. OConnell is well aware. Player development at every position is very, very important, OConnell said. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, O'Connell. The Patriots gave no explanation for releasing O'Connell, who was in competition with veteran quarterback Andrew Walter, signed after his release from the Oakland Raiders, and undrafted free agent rookie Brian Hoyer of Michigan State. And just in all of our dialogue Monday with our players, getting a chance to meet with each and every one of them, they understand that, and they're motivated for that. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. I believe in him as a player and was really proud of the way he played this year but we always have to be evaluating, he said. This year brings a different scenario. OConnell did note that safety Lewis Cine was ahead of schedule in his rehab from a severe leg injury suffered in London last season and that Cine has been at TCO Performance Center making regular stop-ins to his office. [4][5] At SDSU, where he was a four-year team captain, he started 21 games, the sixth-most among SDSU quarterbacks, and ranked first in school history in career rushing yards and second in career rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks; in 2007 he led the team in rushing yards. 2. pic.twitter.com/WKHqPZU8ea, Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 1, 2023. "Now, we've got to all the last phase of that is the accountability to each other, to make sure that that standard is championship worthy, and we're putting ourselves in that conversation to a man and to a woman in this building that we're looking at each other and asking ourselves the question, 'With everything we do, is it championship worthy? When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons. In July 2017, Kirk Cousins became the first quarterback to play under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. (OConnell is 6-foot-5, so his frame provides a solid comparison.). In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. [14] He was later released again on July 29, 2011.[15]. This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. He had been placed on the injured reserve list. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. In addition to helping QB Jared Goff to his fourth consecutive of at least 3,800 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020, O'Connell prepared QB John Wolford for a win-and-in game against the Cardinals in Week 17, helping him pass for 231 yards and rush for 56 more in his NFL debut, while leading the Rams to a 18-7 victory and a playoff berth. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in Photos, Kevin OConnell Brings Energy, Innovation as Vikings New Head Coach, 5 Things to Know About New Vikings Head Coach Kevin OConnell. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had career years in 2021. He also held the same position for Washington in 2019 after serving as the team'spassing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," Adofo-Mensah said. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. Ive been very honest about that. He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. But there was a sobering line of questioning from a New York reporter pertaining to Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. The 34-year-old has put up good statistics over the years, including 33 TDs and seven interceptions last season, but he's never delivered any sustained postseason success. Part of their jobs during the comprehensive evaluation process will be setting aside those personal relationships and not letting them interfere with the process of building the 2023 Vikings to have the best chance at a championship and be within the constraints of the NFL's salary cap. Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. O'Connell was signed by the San Diego Chargers on July 29, 2012, to serve as an emergency back-up in the Chargers' practices with Charlie Whitehurst suffering an injury and Kyle Boller announcing his retirement from the league. The Vikings need to clear $23 million of 2023 salary to get under the cap. Those are all questions we got to answer. Players cited the tight-knit nature of the locker room and their confidence during late-game situations as a result of the buildings updated vibes under OConnell. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Kevin O'Connell Offensive Scheme Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, Kevin O'Connell has been chosen to become head coach of the Minnesota Vikings officially after the Super Bowl on February 13, according to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. As a four-year captain at San Diego State, O'Connell finished his career after appearing in 40 games while ranking third in completions (664), fourth in passing yards (7,689) and fifth in passing touchdowns (46) in school history. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Since the start of 2019, Thielen ranks fifth in the NFL in touchdown receptions (36), trailing only Davante Adams (48), Mike Evans (41), Tyreek Hill (38), and Travis Kelce (37). If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. Harrison Smith stats (2021): 73% completion % allowed, 98.7 QB rating allowed Already a projected $14 million over the 2022 NFL salary cap, the Vikings need to clear a ton of room. The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. Kupp, who was named The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year at last week's NFL Honors, had one of the best receiving seasons in NFL history, leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16), earning AP First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Were having conversations with our players, their representation, and ultimately how all of those things shake out will be done in a way where we just want to make sure we stand by what we believe in as an organization.. But the quarterback position, both the understanding of where that player truly is when you get a chance to start coaching him, and then what your plan is for that player moving forward.. I think we laid a foundation for where we want to go. He isnt on the same tier as Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow, but is good enough to hold down the position until they can find that player. There are some hard conversations sometimes. ", "As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success," said Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. At the 2008 NFL Combine, O'Connell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds; only University of San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson had a faster time. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. Theres a reason why I feel so strongly about Kirk, OConnell said. O'Connell led the Vikings to a 134 record on the season, tying Matt LaFleur and Jim Harbaugh for the second-most wins for a rookie head coach in NFL history. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. O'Connell is the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, so he can't officially become the Vikings' new head coach until after the Super Bowl. During the 2009 preseason, O'Connell was claimed by the Detroit Lions and was then later traded to the New York Jets for a seventh-round pick. A necessary condition is having a starter-level quarterback, Adofo-Mensah began. O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. He later reiterated his own self reflection following the season, saying there were a lot of phases looking at everything from how game-management and play-calling tie together to how they handle all the aspects of players schedules to the scheme. Meetings with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski have helped OConnell in this regard. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. The Minnesota Vikings finalized their hiring of head coach Kevin O'Connell on Wednesday, completing a sharp offseason shift in direction by turning over the team to the 36-year-old. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. So theres not one right way.. Even as other quarterbacks such as Willis, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell were there in the latest rounds of the draft, the Vikings didnt pull the trigger. ", "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. It meets that first threshold, and thats a question that a lot of people cant answer with a yes. So we have got to make sure that we treat that in the proper importance it is.. O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah have emphasized collaboration throughout their first year together, and the first-time head coach picked up where the first-time GM left off: "As I told our team it's supposed to sting. Sure, there were unsightly losses along the way, including a couple of regular-season defeats to Philadelphia and Dallas teams that each won 12 plus in the regular season and have advanced to the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs. Justin Jeffersons superstar turn. The more I can educate myself, learning about the details and particulars of our current situation, our previous situation, and obviously what it looks like moving forward, the more my conversations can be not only from an accurate place of where we are at this moment but where we hope to get to, OConnell said. The Vikings officially. "One of my favorite players I've ever coached, I've told him that," O'Connell said of Jefferson. O'Connell was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft and played quarterback at San Diego State University. This is also a business. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. O'Connell also helped the Rams offense tie for seventh in scoring offense (27.1 points per game) and score on 45.9% of their offensive drives, which ranked third in the NFL behind the Kansas City Chiefs (48.2) and New England Patriots (48.0). O'Connell also played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and San Diego Chargers before retiring in 2012. They were together in Washington and grew their connection this season as the veteran QB led eight game-winning drives, won the division for the first time since arriving in Minnesota and put together one of his best games in the playoffs vs. the Giants. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. Its not always easy to maintain that, but I will never change from that because I just believe thats the way youre supposed to operate.. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. "As crazy as this sounds, leading the league in yards and receptions, I think he and I have just scratched the surface of where we want to go as an offense, particularly with him as our premier receiver," O'Connell said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. View images from the Vikings locker room at TCO Performance Center on Monday as players cleaned out their lockers at the end of the 2022-23 season. $36.25 million against its salary . ", O'Connell said the next step is "a championship standard" and that he wanted to wrap his evaluations and dialogue about the 2022 season the "way it should, with the same type of connection" with players and the "foundational building blocks of what we want to be. They worked with players they inherited, quickly assessing who was set to return and how to try to add pieces they deemed missing through a strategic approach to free agency and proceeding through the 2022 NFL Draft. Adofo-Mensah had to explain how the Vikings, a team in salary cap hell, were going to shed salary while building off the teams first 13-win season since 2017. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. But its hard not to wonder what would have happened if he looked ahead, saw Andrew Luck on the horizon and just rode the corpse of Donovan McNabb to the finish line to select Luck, Russell Wilson, or Cousins (!!!) But in Kevin O'Connell's case on Wednesday, he was able to beam about the Vikings' culture after an NFL Players Association survey showed proof that he made good on the cultural promises he. Kevin William O'Connell (born May 25, 1985), nicknamed "KOC",[1] is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). Conversely, when the Vikings ran for zero or negative yards on first down, something they did more than any other team in the league aside from the Jaguars, they would then be fighting uphill. O'Connell, a former backup NFL quarterback who spent time with five different teams, knows the business from a player's side and coach's side. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. "Justin just had an incredible year, but what I liked about it the most was just the impactful plays at critical moments he made for our team, among a lot of our players," O'Connell said. But Minnesota watched as Cam Newton, Jake Locker, and Blaine Gabbert flew off the board. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. I dont know. Here are five things to know. Try a week on us. Will that happen? Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. In terms of the things that were different in 2022, the most noticeable were the approach to camp and preseason workloads, managing injuries and how players who were recovering from injuries were talked about publicly and the buy-in to quarterback Kirk Cousins. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . The more I can learn about details and particulars of our current situation, previous situations and what it looks like moving forward, OConnell said, the more my conversations can not only come from an accurate place of where we are but where we hope to get to.. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielens fate in 2023. Were going to continue to take a look at whats the best route to go moving forward in that room, as are all the other rooms. In his first season as the Vikings' coach, O'Connell has compiled a 6-1 record and the team has a 3.5-game lead in the NFC North entering Week 9. The Vikings head coach compared all of the moving parts to puzzle pieces but its more like a choose-your-own-adventure book because each choice with Player X impacts Player Y and the combination of all of the decisions takes you to a different endpoint. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. The survey of more than 1,300 players that looked at numerous aspects of an organization from facilities to treatment of families to training staff gave the Vikings the highest grade of any team in the NFL. At the same time, proud of what they've accomplished this year and look forward to the first day of the offseason program, when we get those guys back in here.". . When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. Here are five takeaways from the conversation, beginning with OConnells thoughts on the free-agent decisions and potential cuts that will be made in the next couple of weeks. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Jefferson can soar even higher. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. If OConnells staff likes a prospect like USCs Caleb Williams or North Carolinas Drake Maye, they may be better served to wait especially with an aging team that will face a harder schedule in 2023. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't saying if Ed Donatell will return as defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. How long does he meet that threshold? During the 2021 season, O'Connell's lone season with Stafford, the signal caller threw for the third-most passing yards (4,886) and second-most touchdowns (41) in the NFL, all while achieving his career-best 102.9 passer rating (in seasons with more than eight starts), the sixth-best in the NFL. One thing he knows is that no matter how many As he got in a survey or wins he posted as a first-year coach, that doesnt mean they can do it all again the same way and get the same results. Despite entering the league three years after Stafford, Cousins is also going into his age-34 season. That, more than anything, is what OConnell wants to eliminate. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. It's supposed to hurt. During the 2018 season, O'Connell was tasked with getting three different quarterbacks (Josh Johnson, Colt McCoy and Mark Sanchez) up to speed following a devastating injury to starting QB Alex Smith. "He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. "Like [O'Connell] said in his final meeting, 'It's supposed to hurt. The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year winner, Jefferson dominated opponents, generating 10 games over the 100-yard mark in O'Connell's first season in Minnesota. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. The Dallas Cowboys will place the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before March 7's deadline, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, per sources. Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. But the biggest question on everybodys mind was what they were going to do with Kirk Cousins. "And then, sure enough, she ended up in the same place. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. O'Connell, 36, was a third-round pick . What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, and NFL Networks Tom Pelissero reported earlier in the week that he would not anticipate the type of one-year, fully-guaranteed extensions that the 35-year-old has signed in the past. Not only schematically, how people play against you, but the responsibility he has as a role model. He's McVay's second coordinator in two years to move on, joiningformer Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who is now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Ive spent a lot of time with Rob [Brzezinski] and Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah], and well continue to do that in anticipation of being at a certain place by the league year like we need to be and then, How do we go forward building it from there?.
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