The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. 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. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. ", 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. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. 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). General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted Tuesday that inking the wideout to a new contract is a "high priority. My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. "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. I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities., "I feel better than I ever have about our chances moving forward." 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. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. New Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, some two weeks after reaching an agreement with the club to replace Mike Zimmer, can finally wear some purple. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had career years in 2021. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Kevin O'Connell Begin 2023 Vikings Standard O'Connell won his first game as head coach against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 of the 2022 season by a score of 237. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Vikings finalize hire of champion Rams OC Kevin O'Connell [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. 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.. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. 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 Alec on Twitter @alec_lewis. The Minnesota Vikings have made the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach official by sharing the news on social media. Theres a lot of different directions you can go, OConnell said, and (each decision) affects another one and another one. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Kevin O'Connell declines to say if Ed Donatell will return as Vikings Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Quarterback Mike White said he'd like to return to the New York Jets, but knows it might not happen as he heads toward free agency. Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Justin Jefferson can soar even higher. That will motivate us to lead this organization to the place we want to go. 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. 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. 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 have committed to quarterback Kirk Cousins for the next two seasons, banking on further improvement under new head coach Kevin O'Connell. His teammates voted him as a captain for what he means not only to our organization but the Twin Cities. O'Connell is the latest in Sean McVay's coaching tree to land a head coaching job, following the likes of Matt LaFleur with the Green Bay Packers and Zac Taylor with the Bengals. "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. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. 4 takeaways from Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's combine press conference 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. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. 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. Following his release, the New York Jets re-signed O'Connell to a two-year deal. Kevin O'Connell, fresh off a Super Bowl victory as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator, was introduced as the Minnesota Vikings next head coach on Thursday, and the big takeaway from . "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. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. 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). INDIANAPOLIS -- Justin Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions in 2022 while averaging 106.4 yards per game. 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. O'Connell played quarterback at San Diego State University, and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. But Adofo-Mensah gave his own review about his starting quarterback. The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. 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 believe in him as a player.. 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. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. 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. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. Vikings' Kevin O'Connell Expects Kirk Cousins Back In 2022 He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. 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. Kupp's 145 receptions and 1,947 receiving yards both ranked as the second-highest single-season totals in NFL history, trailing only Michael Thomas's 149 receptions in 2019 and Calvin Johnson's 1,964 receiving yards in 2012. Along the way, personal relationships grew. Sources: O'Connell finalizing contract with Vikings - KUSA.com The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. O'Connell oversaw the production of three quarterbacks in 2019, specifically rookie QB Dwayne Haskins, Jr. Once Haskins, Jr., became the full-time starter in Week 9, he passed for 1,225 yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions and an 85.5 passer rating. O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. 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. 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. 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. They needed more receivers on the field. Certainly the facilities would have gotten an A+ last year but its hard to imagine they would have ranked No. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band). 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. Try a week on us. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. . Adofo-Mensah was hired on Jan. 26, 2022 and O'Connell was named head coach on Feb. 16 after the Rams beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl. This year brings a different scenario. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. With their limited salary cap . 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. O'Connell rushed for a touchdown in the 2008 preseason against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter, in a game the Patriots eventually lost 1914. Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. They want tostart every game, lead their team to the playoffs, win a Super Bowl, [but] a lot goes into what it takes to do that.. Craig Peters. O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. I dont know. "I feel like that foundation's in place. Despite entering the league three years after Stafford, Cousins is also going into his age-34 season. "Very thankful for him in Year 1 and really looking forward to seeing him growing both as a leader and continued dominance at the receiver position.". Vikings officially hire Rams OC Kevin O'Connell as new head coach - NFL.com O'Connell also played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and San Diego Chargers before retiring in 2012. 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. Really excited about Lewis and his mental growth through how he handled the adversity of that injury, OConnell said. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. [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). INDIANAPOLIS If you walk around to different podiums and listen to NFL coaches speak to the media about their teams offseasons, you are likely to hear a lot about culture. 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 there was a sobering line of questioning from a New York reporter pertaining to Giants head coach Brian Daboll. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. 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 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 coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. 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.. O'Connell worked on special projects with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, where he overlapped with Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. One element of his teams play that must improve? In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction. 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). O'Connell was instrumental in aiding mid-season free agent signee WR Odell Beckham, Jr., to five receiving touchdowns in eight games played with the team, the most since his 2018 season with theNew York Giants. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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 home runs and long ones are great, but as a play caller, Id love to be second-and-5. [3] O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003. A former NFL quarterback who was a career backup, O'Connell has been the Rams' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. 4. 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. What he means to our league, how he carries himself, how he works every day. So theres not one right way.. 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. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. But the. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. 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?. 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. Stafford set the single-season team record for passing yards (4,886) and tied Kurt Warner from his 1999 MVP season for the most passing touchdowns in a season with 41, while also winning his first playoff game in his 13th season in the NFL. As a senior, he was named his team's Most Valuable Player, and selected to All-League, All-North County, and All-San Diego teams. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. 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. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. Kevin O'Connell believes Justin Jefferson has 'just scratched the Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. OConnell is well aware. 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. Aside from the quarterback situation which is like talking about building a house and saying other than the ground it stands on the Vikings will also consider the wants/needs/system of Brian Flores as they look for improvement on defense. 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. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. OConnell said he values the way the aforementioned players embraced his hiring last year and appreciates the way they helped bring about an entirely new culture. He categorized the current state of rushing in the NFL into three separate strategies: deploying a running quarterback, operating in the run-pass option world, and going the traditional route with run-pass deception from under center. We want to be there consistently with the chance to win it.". 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. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. And I also want my opportunity to show that I can play at a high level. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. 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. But Minnesota watched as Cam Newton, Jake Locker, and Blaine Gabbert flew off the board. 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. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. 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. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC.
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