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A former NFL quarterback who was a career backup, O'Connell has been the Rams' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. "Reflecting on what we were able to accomplish as a football team an NFC North title and 13 wins it goes beyond that. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. As we use the process of free agency and the draft to really take a look at how to evolve and fit what we want to do.. 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. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, wife Leah welcome fourth child The home runs and long ones are great, but as a play caller, Id love to be second-and-5. Kevin is currently the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and his salary is $84 million for three years. 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. "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. Vikings Kevin O'Connell: Takeaways from NFL Scouting Combine presser Ive been very honest about that. Already Subscribed? 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. OConnell explained Wednesday that that process ranged from reviewing game-management decisions to gauging his teams success in various schemes and plays. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. 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. Kevin O'Connell traveling with Vikings to Washington after his daughter In 2019, O'Connell helped guide rookie WR Terry McLaurin to 58 receptions, 919 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, the second-most receptions and third-most receiving yards and touchdowns among rookies in franchise history. "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. 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. 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. 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. The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. What was initially pitched as a competitive rebuild and trying to win on the margins morphed into setting an NFL record for the most one-score wins in a season (11-0) thanks to players who were led to become situational masters at key moments of close games. 5 Things to Know About Head Coach Kevin O'Connell - Minnesota Vikings 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. I think we laid a foundation for where we want to go. O'Connell, 36, was a third-round pick . 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. The 2020 Rams offense featured the 10th-ranked rushing attack, posting 126.1 yards per game on the ground, behind two 600-plus rushing seasons from RB Cam Akers and RB Darrell Henderson. 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. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . 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 (!!!) Kevin O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. 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. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. While the survey is the ultimate feather in OConnells cap in terms of retaining players on long-term contracts and signing free agents, hes aware that not everyone is going to be able to return and the team doesn't have oodles of cap space to spend this offseason. . 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. 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.. OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. He also writes for Bring Me The News and The Viking Age and hosts The Homer Horn Podcast. Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. 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. Sources: O'Connell finalizing contract with Vikings - KUSA.com Craig Peters. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. 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. "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.". Also, by disabling these cookies you will also disable banner ads served by Google Adsense on this website.. For more information about these items, view our complete privacy policy.Read More. Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. Quarterbacks are never far from OConnells mind. 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. 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." Is it to that line?' 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. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. 3 Minnesota Vikings offseason moves with Kevin O'Connell - Sportsnaut 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. 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. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. 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.. "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. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. ", "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. Kupp, who was named 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press and Super Bowl LVI MVP, 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. 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. 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. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. How do you go forward building it from here? Meetings with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski have helped OConnell in this regard. But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 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. But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. 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. "I greatly appreciate the Wilf family, Kwesi and the entire Minnesota Vikings organization for providing the opportunity to be their next head coach," said O'Connell. 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. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted Tuesday that inking the wideout to a new contract is a "high priority. 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. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. When you have the receiver that leads the league in yards and receptions and have three other guys with 60-plus, you feel really strongly about that group, and I still think that theres places to go where we can build upon it even more, OConnell mentioned about Justin Jefferson and his wide receiving corps. Login Here. Vikings head coach Kevin OConnell provided a bit of clarity on Thielens status at the NFL Combine this week, touting the veterans leadership while hoping to mesh his pricetag with the fit in Minnesotas 2023 WR room. There are some hard conversations sometimes. Vikings Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have a long to-do list Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. 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. The direct work together began in April when Minnesota could start its offseason workout program and was followed by Organized Team Activities before a summer break that was followed by training camp, he preseason, regular season and postseason. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. Kevin William O'Connell, nicknamed "KOC", is an American former player and a football coach who is the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. Follow Alec on Twitter @alec_lewis. Vikings, Cousins agree to 1-year, $35M contract extension Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. 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. 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. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? 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. 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. 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. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. 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 the things we did accomplish, I think, were incredibly impactful. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. Kevin O'Connell: Vikings have 'some real decisions' ahead to get under 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. [25][26], On February 16, 2022, just three days after his Super Bowl LVI victory, O'Connell was hired by the Minnesota Vikings as the 10th head coach in their franchise history. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. But even if they do like mayo in their coffee, it seems like OConnell is bringing a thorough evaluation process to find their guy. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. 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. 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. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. 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. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. 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. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". This is also a business. But the. At the end of the day Wednesday, the Vikings head coach left the building with one of the easier media sessions youll ever run across in the NFL. Right. [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. The Wilfs and the resources they give us to bring in the people, like [exectuive director of player health and performance] Tyler Williams, OConnell said. The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. Facebook Twitter Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search process spoke highly of Kevin's ability to motivate players, coaches and staff. 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. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. 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.. A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. 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. Vikings' Kevin O'Connell Expects Kirk Cousins Back In 2022 So, well see what happens.. Right. O'Connell was waived by the Patriots on August 30, 2009, two days after a preseason game in which starting quarterback Tom Brady was injured, and, in the second half, O'Connell threw two interceptions and only threw 3 completions on 10 attempts. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. [10], He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.[11]. McCown also broke the single-game passing record in 2015, throwing for 457 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. O'Connell compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). [29]. [2] At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. If they want a quarterback in this draft, they seem willing to find a way to get them. 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. 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. 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. 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. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. 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). Vikings to hire Kevin O'Connell after being turned down by Jim Harbaugh 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). Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside.