[19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. The rushing attack. Florida's Anthony Richardson, one of the draft's most intriguing QB prospects, told reporters on Friday that in high school he modeled his game after two notable passers: Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. O'Connell worked on special projects with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, where he overlapped with Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Asked about the Vikings long-term future at that position, OConnell said he surveys the landscape of the position each year out of habit. "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. The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. 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. Those are things we got to answer. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. Since then, there have been postseason appearances after the 2012 (loss in Wild Card), 2015 (loss in Wild Card), 2017 (loss in NFC Championship), 2019 (loss in Divisional) and 2022 (loss in Wild Card) seasons. 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). 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. Theres a lot of different directions you can go, OConnell said, and (each decision) affects another one and another one. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. He takes it very seriously how much people and young kids look up to him. On Tuesday, Adofo-Mensah explained that Cousins camp wants certainty if he is to sign a new deal, while the Vikings seek flexibility. 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. [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. "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. A necessary condition is having a starter-level quarterback, Adofo-Mensah began. Along the way, personal relationships grew. 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. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. Those are all questions we got to answer. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. Prior to his one year in San Francisco, O'Connell was the quarterbacks coach in Cleveland during the 2015 season, assisting QB Josh McCown to becoming the only player in team history to throw for 300 or more passing yards in three consecutive games. 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. 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. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. 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.' Hes the epitome of a hometown hero, universally loved, and the type of player who should retire with the Vikings. The numbers bear out OConnells observation. Kevin O'Connell who is one of the richest football quarterbacks has an estimated net worth of $5 million. Login Here. Thats the byproduct of trying to do things the way we do. [13] The injury required surgery. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. Really excited about Lewis and his mental growth through how he handled the adversity of that injury, OConnell said. OConnell explained Wednesday that that process ranged from reviewing game-management decisions to gauging his teams success in various schemes and plays. 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 compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). Wide receiver Adam Thielens cap number and age (32) present another complicated decision, and OConnell is mindful of the many factors. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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. Teams that typically played with one-high safety against most opponents often utilized two-high safeties against the Vikings. 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. I'm sure a lot of fans will be going through that right now, and that hurts to hear, I can't lie, but I understand where that's coming from. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. If not, they have the luxury of having Cousins to buy more time. 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?. Kevin O'Connell: Vikings have 'some real decisions' ahead to get under salary cap By Alec Lewis Mar 1, 2023 14 INDIANAPOLIS Following his news conference Wednesday afternoon at the NFL. By COURTNEY CRONIN. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. He had been placed on the injured reserve list. The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. $36.25 million against its salary . He noted that hes always going to evaluate all the quarterbacks out of habit and that he finds himself often looking at evaluations from years past, even when someone is coming available who came out in the draft a long time ago. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. But in Kevin OConnells 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 made at the last NFL Combine. Right comes along. [24] In O'Connell's second season with the Rams, their offense ranked 2nd best in receiving touchdowns (41), 5th highest in total yards (4,893), 8th best in total touchdowns (63), and the team won Super Bowl LVI (defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 2320). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. 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. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! OConnell also referenced fair compensation for his players at the NFL Combine, perhaps a nod to Thielens current contract and how it fits within Minnesotas free-agent navigability. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. Thats because talking about culture is a good way to spend time talking about anything else other than upcoming decisions, draft philosophies, scheme changes etc. I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. 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. Sometimes how you have to reinvent yourself week in and week out, OConnell said. 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 Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. Schad covers the Minnesota Vikings for Zone Coverage. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. OConnell is well aware. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. None of that means anything for what we do moving forward if we dont grow and evolve and change in a good capacity, OConnell said. With their limited salary cap . However, neither seem like a good option now. 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. "One of them said that she had been a long-time Vikings fan and always felt let down, and this team felt different to her," Adofo-Mensah said. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. And when I think about all that went into it, from a coaching staff standpoint, our players, our leadership of our core leaders and foundation of such a great leadership group that I was able to have in my first year as a head coach in the National Football League, I truly feel very fortunate and blessed," O'Connell added. "Like [O'Connell] said in his final meeting, 'It's supposed to hurt. Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. Follow us for breaking news and latest updates. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. How do you go forward building it from here? Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Kevin O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. Even if the Vikings agree to a long-term extension, they seem to be willing to wait until their version of Mr. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. pic.twitter.com/WKHqPZU8ea, Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 1, 2023. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. [29]. The personnel department continued to be on the lookout for players who became available after their release by other teams, and the coaching staff usually helped integrate the acquired player quickly, whether it was Za'Darius Smith in Week 1 or T.J. Hockenson in Week 9. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. in the 2012 draft. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. 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). Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the 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. A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. No cards were shown when OConnell was asked about Flores and the cornerback position as it pertains to the draft but it would appear that Flores will be looking for players with flexibility, whether thats in terms of position or skill set. 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.. 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. 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. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. On February 17, 2015, it was announced that O'Connell was named to the position of quarterbacks coach of the Cleveland Browns for the 2015 NFL season. To better myself and make sure I'm doing everything that I can in this role that I feel so lucky to have and also so prepared to have. However, there is no mistaking the reality. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. INDIANAPOLIS -- Justin Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions in 2022 while averaging 106.4 yards per game. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. As a player, O'Connell was drafted in the third round (94th pick) of the 2008 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots out of San Diego State. The Vikings won the NFC North for the first time since 2017, which was good enough for the NFC's third seed, but were defeated by the New York Giants in the Wild Card round by a final score of 3124. Vikings Players Close Out Season with Locker Room Clean Out. Try a week on us. 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. For what its worth, SIs Albert Breer said on The Rich Eisen Show that many teams believe that the best quarterback prospects are still in college. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. 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. 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. 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. I think that's where we want to go eventually," Adofo-Mensah continued. Linebacker Eric Kendricks referred to a fear-based culture in a conference call after the former HC and GM were let go and players acknowledged meeting with ownership in which they asked for improvements in the overall environment. 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. But Minnesota watched as Cam Newton, Jake Locker, and Blaine Gabbert flew off the board. Pelissero noted that Brown, who interviewed for the Miami Dolphins head coaching position, is considered a "rising assistant" and is a candidate to replace O'Connell in Los Angeles. Not only schematically, how people play against you, but the responsibility he has as a role model. Kentucky's Will Levis, a likely top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spoke Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and -- in under 15 minutes -- presented himself as arguably the most self-assured QB in this year's class. 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. [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. 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. Its still something I think about often, OConnell said of the loss to the Giants. "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.". But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. There are some hard conversations sometimes. Kevin will tease me about that sometimes. "Unbelievable talent. It comes down to efficiency, he said. He believes he's the best receiver in football -- I happen to agree with him -- and a lot goes with that. 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.. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.". 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. This time of year tends to be a difficult time when youre talking about players futures and how they affect the greater picture of our team, and those conversations are ongoing, he said. O'Connell, 36, was a member of the 49ers coaching staff (special projects) in 2016 and overlapped that season with new Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. He also writes for Bring Me The News and The Viking Age and hosts The Homer Horn Podcast. Sometimes how you have to mold and adapt how you play while still staying true to your football philosophy at its core and its not always easy to do, but hes demonstrated that hes been very successful doing it time and time again.. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. Adofo-Mensah had to explain how the Vikings, a team in salary cap hell, were going to shed salary while building off the team's first 13-win season since 2017. . [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. How long does he meet that threshold? Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. [27][28] O'Connell's Vikings hiring reunited him with quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom O'Connell had coached in 2017 (Cousins' final year with the Washington Redskins).