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. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. "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. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. The Minnesota Vikings have committed to quarterback Kirk Cousins for the next two seasons, banking on further improvement under new head coach Kevin O'Connell. Those are all questions we got to answer. 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). Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. The Vikings were unable to officially announce that they were hiring O'Connell until after Los Angeles' playoff run came to an end. "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. That, more than anything, is what OConnell wants to eliminate. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. How do you go forward building it from here? A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. He made his NFL debut on September 21, 2008, in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins, throwing his first four career passes and completing three. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. Try a week on us. Adofo-Mensah admitted his elevation to GM brought him more exposure to the human elements than when he was advancing through the research-and-development departments with the 49ers and Browns. In addition to impacting the culture within the building through an emphasis on building connectivity across the roster, the Vikings installed O'Connell's offense with Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips, a defensive system led by Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell and changed their special teams under first-year coordinator Matt Daniels. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. By COURTNEY CRONIN. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. It's supposed to sting.' 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). Asked about the Vikings long-term future at that position, OConnell said he surveys the landscape of the position each year out of habit. Following his release, the New York Jets re-signed O'Connell to a two-year deal. Browse our online application for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, EPL, or MLS player contracts, salaries, transactions, and more. converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. . 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. O'Connell, who led the Rams to finish ninth in total offense (372.1 yards per game) this season, 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. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The last remaining head coach opening in the NFL has been filled. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. The other was that the Vikings werent in a position to draft a quarterback, picking in the mid-20s for a majority of Greens tenure. There are times when hes mad and when Im mad. The Vikings announced their agreement in principle with Cousins on a one-year contract extension Sunday the latest high-leverage deal that Cousins has successfully bet on himself with and the clearest sign yet that the Vikings aren . New Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he is "excited to coach" quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2022 and is "anticipating" him being a part of the team's plans. 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.. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. 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. 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.. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. 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. Kupp's wide receiver Triple Crown in 2021, which he won after leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16), joined him with WR Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers, 1990), WR Sterling Sharpe (Green Bay Packers, 1992) and WR Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers, 2005) as the only players since the 1970 merger to achieve this feat. What he means to our league, how he carries himself, how he works every day. EAGAN, Minn. Eleven months and a day after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah helped introduce Kevin O'Connell from a temporary stage constructed in Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center's Indoor Practice Facility, the men sat together at a table on a small riser in the Media Center. 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. Under O'Connell, Rams quarterbacks have thrown for 1,517 passing yards (third in NFL), 11 touchdowns (fourth in NFL) and a 106.4 passer rating in playoff games (second in NFL). 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. He reiterated that he is proud of the way Cousins played in 2022 and is looking forward to seeing the 34-year-old build on things in 2023. When Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stepped up to the podium at the NFL Scouting Combine, he had several questions to answer about the Minnesota Vikings future. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. The Vikings need to clear $23 million of 2023 salary to get under the cap. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. 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. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. 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). Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. Right. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. The home runs and long ones are great, but as a play caller, Id love to be second-and-5. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. [13] The injury required surgery. All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com. 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.". 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. Finding a suitable compromise appears to be the current strategy. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, March 1, and he shed a little bit of light on what the team's goals are for the offseason. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. Craig Peters. Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. Wanting to make those guys feel like their coach cares about them, both the person and the player, and their future, its real, OConnell said. The offensive coordinator from the 2022 Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, Kevin O'Connell, is finalizing his head coaching contract with the Minnesota Vikings. 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.. 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. "One of my favorite players I've ever coached, I've told him that," O'Connell said of Jefferson. How long does he meet that threshold? Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. 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. - Page 5 . I believe in him as a player.. O'Connell coached QB Kirk Cousins in 2017, helping him throw for more than 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns, and record a career-high 342 rushing yards and a league-leading four game-winning drives. 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?. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. 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. ", "Making sure that the standard of knowing we've got the culture, knowing we've got the right things going in this building," O'Connell said. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. Right comes along. You do hope it was a perfect world where you can have everybody and have everybody finish their careers where they should and feel great about it, but its just so hard to do and still build for the future the way the rules are set up, OConnell said. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. This website is not directly or indirectly affiliated, associated, or connected in any way to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League or the National Hockey League. Furthermore, the Rams' 1,186 passing yards in the 2021 playoffs were the most in NFL history,surpassing the 2011 New York Giants (1,144).O'Connell helped Kupp (478) and Beckham, Jr., (288) post a combined 766 receiving yards in the playoffs, the most be any wide receiver duo this postseason. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension.
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