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. 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 Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. Sep 9 2010 Resigned a 2 year $1.25 million contract with New York (NYJ) Aug 31 2010 Waived by New York (NYJ) Sep 6 2009 Traded to NYJ from Detroit for a conditional draft pick. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. Having been on the visitors' sideline at U.S. Bank Stadium and experiencing that environment as an opposing coach, I am excited to now have the support of these passionate Vikings fans. Ive been very honest about that. "Reflecting on what we were able to accomplish as a football team an NFC North title and 13 wins it goes beyond that. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit . The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. 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. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . Kevin is currently the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and his salary is $84 million for three years. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. 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. McCown also broke the single-game passing record in 2015, throwing for 457 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. 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). I think we laid a foundation for where we want to go. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. If the Vikings parted ways with Thielen via outright release or trade, theyd face three plausible options for 2023s WR2: For now, OConnell views Thielen as an unabashed team leader, but the front office must determine the fair compensation for his cap hit. What he means to our league, how he carries himself, how he works every day. But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. The victories and records set on the way to winning the NFC North for the first time since 2017 enabled Minnesota to host a playoff game for the first time in five years, but that excitement ended abruptly Sunday when the Giants topped the Vikings 31-24. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. 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. 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. 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 Minnesota Vikings finalized their hiring of head coach Kevin O'Connell on Wednesday, completing a sharp offseason shift in direction by turning over the team to the 36-year-old. 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. ", 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. 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. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. 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. 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. 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? It comes down to efficiency, he 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. 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. 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. Its even stronger now. Thats the byproduct of trying to do things the way we do. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. 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. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Vikings plan on interviewing Rams assistant head coach/running backs coach Thomas Brown for their offensive coordinator position under O'Connell. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. 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. Despite entering the league three years after Stafford, Cousins is also going into his age-34 season. ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," Adofo-Mensah said. 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. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. 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. The rushing attack. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. This year brings a different scenario. 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.. 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. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. The Vikings need to clear $23 million of 2023 salary to get under the cap. 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]. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. If not, they could ride Cousins another year and try their luck to acquire their guy in 2024. 4. His teammates voted him as a captain for what he means not only to our organization but the Twin Cities. 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. 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. 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. 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.. . That will motivate us to lead this organization to the place we want to go. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. 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." Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. 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. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, O'Connell. O'Connell compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). Those are all questions we got to answer. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. "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. Follow us for breaking news and latest updates. 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. "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. To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. On third-and-8, for example, the Vikings personnel options were limited. 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. 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. 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. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. 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?. 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). But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . 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. Right. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. Is it to that standard? 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. 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. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. 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.. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. 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. That, more than anything, is what OConnell wants to eliminate. We want to be.". When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. 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.. Adofo-Mensah had to explain how the Vikings, a team in salary cap hell, were going to shed salary while building off the teams first 13-win season since 2017. Is it to that line?' 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. "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.". It is something Ive thought a lot about.. 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. ", "As I spent time with Kevin during the interview process, it became immediately clear he will be a great partner in building this football team for long-term success," said Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. 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.. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. O'Connell, 36, was a third-round pick . He was 11-of-21 for 147 yards, and completed the pass which resulted in the Kai's only score of the game.[6]. Partnered with the USA TODAY Sports Media Group|Powered by, Signed a 1 year contract with Miami (MIA), Resigned a 2 year $1.25 million contract with New York (NYJ), Traded to NYJ from Detroit for a conditional draft pick, Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE), Drafted by New England (NE): Round 3 (#94 overall). A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. Jan 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM. The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. 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. So, well see what happens.. 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. A necessary condition is having a starter-level quarterback, Adofo-Mensah began. 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. 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. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. 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. . Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. Doing so could mean some hard decisions on key contributors from last season like Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, ZaDarius Smith and others. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. 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. Conversely, when the Vikings ran for zero or negative yards on first down, something they did more than any other team in the league aside from the Jaguars, they would then be fighting uphill. This is also a business. 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! And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. But even if he didnt injure his knee at Winter Park, its fair to wonder if he would have ever become the long-term franchise quarterback. Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? 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. 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. 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. He played one season for the Patriots behind QB Matt Cassel following a season-ending injury to QB Tom Brady. 5. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had career years in 2021. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielens fate in 2023. [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). General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted Tuesday that inking the wideout to a new contract is a "high priority. 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. ". And trading him post June 1 would save the team $35 million of that against their cap. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. A former NFL quarterback who was a career backup, O'Connell has been the Rams' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. So theres not one right way..