If I demand our team to improve in certain areas, OConnell said, Ive got to do the things we need to do as a staff.. - Page 5 . 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. 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. He recently coached Stafford to a Super Bowl win, helping him post a 4-0 record in the postseason and 108.3 passer rating, which trailed only QB Josh Allen and QB Patrick Mahomes. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. Vikings Players Close Out Season with Locker Room Clean Out. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. Login Here. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. Just scratching the surface with #18 pic.twitter.com/MpWlPV7MoN, And then, ultimately, OConnell said, youve got to ask: How do we use that information to our advantage moving forward?. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . "Unbelievable talent. O'Connell's NFL coaching career began in 2015; he held various assistant coaching roles on the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, and Los Angeles Rams (where he won Super Bowl LVI, as offensive coordinator, in the 20212022 season). 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. Thielen joined the Vikings a decade ago as an undrafted special teamer and clawed his way up the depth chart to WR1 by the start of 2016. To provide the premier place to go to work and improve both personally and collectively as a team in our league means a lot to us, OConnell said. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. That was somebody that was as important as anybody for me to bring to this organization I didnt know there was going to be a survey, it didnt matter to me, but I knew what that would look like with Tyler, Kwesi and myself and how we build things.. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. The New England Patriots selected O'Connell with their fourth pick (94th overall) in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Already Subscribed? Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) - The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. Cousins' 4,093 passing yards marked his third-consecutive 4,000-yard passing season, helping him become the 11th quarterback in NFL history to accomplish this feat. Understanding the goals of culture and the goals of building up through our leadership and setting a foundation and platform for every individual in this building to feel like they can thrive and grow and eventually reach their truest, highest potential. Therefore, with free agency 11 days away, the Vikings and Thielen are firmly in the see what happens phase of the offseason, described by Thielen. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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. Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Top 10 Justin Jefferson plays | 2022 season, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah compares team building through draft vs. through free agency, trades. Hes the epitome of a hometown hero, universally loved, and the type of player who should retire with the Vikings. They could have done what the Pittsburgh Steelers did by drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round last year, but they knew he wasnt the guy. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. "I think we showed a building full of people, players, coaches, staff, ownership group, this guy next to me, would have the ability to be their best when their best is required. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . But the. That OConnell even cited this statistic demonstrates the team is thinking about how to fully maximize its offense. Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. ". Those are things we got to answer. Senior Editor. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. Kevin O'Connell had some interesting things to say about the direction the Minnesota Vikings want to go as they look ahead to the 2023 NFL season. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. But there was a sobering line of questioning from a New York reporter pertaining to Giants head coach Brian Daboll. 1 in other areas before hiring OConnell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, particularly with a different attitude toward players and increased focus on sports science in the training room. 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. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. Is it to that standard? If they want a quarterback in this draft, they seem willing to find a way to get them. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. "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. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. How do you go forward building it from here? 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. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. "One of my favorite players I've ever coached, I've told him that," O'Connell said of Jefferson. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. "We have to make sure we do it in an order that we can do it in given all the other decisions we have to make.". INDIANAPOLIS Following his news conference Wednesday afternoon at the NFL Scouting Combine, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin OConnell met with a small group of beat writers. "When you involve people, it can make the job a lot tougher, but I also think the people aspect is what culture is and that's important," Adofo-Mensah added. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. 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.. Before his NFL career ended in 2012, O'Connell spent time with the Miami Dolphins, a second-stint with the Jets and the San Diego Chargers. Brad Childress urged Minnesota to draft Tarvaris Jackson upon his arrival in the 2006, and then recruited Brett Favre as an act of desperation to lead the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. O'Connell, who led the Rams to finish ninth in total offense (372.1 yards per game) in 2021, helped his unit rank second in plays of 50-plus yards (10), fourth in yards per play (5.98) and eighth in offensive touchdowns (51) in 2021. It comes down to efficiency, he said. Justin Jeffersons superstar turn. 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. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. Minnesota Vikings new head coach Kevin O'Connell takes over a club that missed the postseason the past two seasons with losing records and hasn't won the NFC North since 2017. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. In the meantime, quarterbacks such as Heath Shuler, Trent Dilfer, and Jim Druckenmiller went off the board until Green finally saw a quarterback he liked in the 1999 draft, Daunte Culpepper. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. Really excited about Lewis and his mental growth through how he handled the adversity of that injury, OConnell said. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. So how will he balance the desire to maximize the benefits of the culture, keep the players who helped him implement it and improve on last season while dealing with the facts of life in a salary cap league? Ive been very honest about that. Set to earn just $2.399 million in 2023, with a potential fifth-year team option in 2024, Jefferson is due a massive pay increase in line with his value. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't saying if Ed Donatell will return as defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:43, "Adam Thielen on KOC's lack of screaming: 'It's kind of almost awkward', "SDSU Aztecs Biography for Kevin O'Connell", "Offensive Evolution Under Long Has Come to Pass for the Aztecs", "Kevin O'Connell Draft and Combine Prospect Profile", "Kevin OConnell, San Diego State, QB, 2008 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football", "Lions have seven picks in upcoming draft", "Jets lose confidence in rookie running back Joe McKnight", "Jets release backup QB Mark Brunell, still waiting on Nnamdi Asomugha", "Jets awarded four players off waivers, including QB Kevin O'Connell; cut Aaron Maybin", "Chargers Notes: Former LCC, Aztecs QB O'Connell signed as emergency fill-in", "Kevin O'Connell hired to coach QBs as Browns round out offensive staff", "49ers adding O'Connell to offensive staff", "Kevin O'Connell will coach quarterbacks in Washington", "Redskins Promote Kevin O'Connell To Offensive Coordinator; Matt Cavanaugh Moves To Senior Offensive Assistant", "Kevin O'Connell amicably departs as Redskins hire Scott Turner as OC", "2021 Los Angeles Rams Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports", "Los Angeles Rams come back to win Super Bowl LVI 2320 in front of hometown crowd", "Minnesota Vikings Name Kevin O'Connell 10th Head Coach In Franchise History", "Minnesota Vikings officially hire 'innovative' Kevin O'Connell as new head coach", "Packers vs. Vikings - Box Score - September 11, 2020", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_O%27Connell_(American_football)&oldid=1141660186, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:43. Anchored by T Andrew Whitworth, the oldest offensive lineman in the NFL, the Rams offensive line only allowed 56 sacks in the two years O'Connell was in Los Angeles, which was good for the seventh-fewest among NFL clubs. 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). So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". In other words, hes going to look in the store window at this years draft class because he always does, whether he is shopping or not. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. 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). Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. Since O'Connell became an offensive coordinator in 2019, he has coached one Super Bowl MVP (Kupp), two Pro Bowlers (G Brandon Scherff and Kupp), one All-Pro (Kupp) and one PFWA All-Rookie Team member (McLaurin). O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Jets on September 4, 2011.[16]. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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). "But as we reflect, I think it's important to understand, be honest with our evaluations, understand taking a look at all the little things no detail is too small in how we're trying to improve as a team, improve as a coaching staff, and most importantly, improve myself. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. 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?. We want to be.". In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. The Vikings were unable to officially announce that they were hiring O'Connell until after Los Angeles' playoff run came to an end. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. In addition to helping QB Jared Goff to his fourth consecutive season with 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 Arizona 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. Right. I think the priority first and foremost is giving him time to evaluate our roster with our young players and some of our veteran players and see how pieces may fit, OConnell said. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. But in between 16-point wins against the Packers in Week 1 and Bears in Week 18 were plentiful memorable moments during a wild ride. I am committed to working tirelessly to bring them a Super Bowl championship.". The last remaining head coach opening in the NFL has been filled. One of the last times I spoke with you [after roster reductions to 53], I was up here, and I think someone told me my appearance was a little more dour than it normally is and that was because that was two emotional days of having to tell people no and having to say, 'Your dream is stopped for the day.' O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it.
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