New Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell sees 'very talented roster' in Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. KARE 11 Sports Director. 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. ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," Adofo-Mensah said. The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. 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.. In addition to helping QB Jared Goff to his fourth consecutive season with 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 Arizona 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. Kevin O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. So theres not one right way.. If not, they have the luxury of having Cousins to buy more time. "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.". 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. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. Follow Alec on Twitter @alec_lewis. 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. 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. 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 browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. 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? 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 Bengals, O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons. 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. Youve got to ask yourself the question: Why?. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. 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. 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. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. Kevin O'Connell: Vikings have 'some real decisions' ahead to get under Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. 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. Its still something I think about often, OConnell said of the loss to the Giants. Here are five things to know. This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. My main goal was just to connect with him and build on a relationship that I thought was strong already. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . 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. 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. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band). 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. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. 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. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. Teams that typically played with one-high safety against most opponents often utilized two-high safeties against the Vikings. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. He was also born in Minnesota. Jul 21 2008 Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE) The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. He called conversations ongoing about Cousinss future. Doing so could mean some hard decisions on key contributors from last season like Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, ZaDarius Smith and others. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Kevin O'Connell believes Vikings are really good and have an 'elite' QB But Minnesota watched as Cam Newton, Jake Locker, and Blaine Gabbert flew off the board. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. 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. So, well see what happens.. 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. Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. Vikings, Cousins agree to 1-year, $35M contract extension 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. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. [14] He was later released again on July 29, 2011.[15]. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. 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. 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. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. 3. ". ", 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. 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. [29]. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. He believes he's the best receiver in football -- I happen to agree with him -- and a lot goes with that. O'Connell compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). 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. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . 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. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. 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.. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. Finding a suitable compromise appears to be the current strategy. "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. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. Armando Salguero: Kevin O'Connell Believes Vikings Are Really - OutKick 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. 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. Vikings Trade Proposal Flips Cousins For 49ers Trey Lance | Heavy.com 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. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries 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. Behind The Scenes of Kevin O'Connell's Media Day at The Combine Senior Editor. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Vikings' offseason roster decisions will be difficult, but team leaders So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". It's supposed to sting.' His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. He had been placed on the injured reserve list. Its even stronger now. But the biggest question on everybodys mind was what they were going to do with Kirk Cousins. 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. 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. 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. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. 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. 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. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. The idea. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. The Minnesota Vikings have made the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach official by sharing the news on social media. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. 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 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. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. Hes the epitome of a hometown hero, universally loved, and the type of player who should retire with the Vikings. 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. 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. Vikings Kevin O'Connell: Takeaways from NFL Scouting Combine presser Kevin O'Connell (American football) - Wikipedia The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. 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. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin O'Connell's culture is now quantifiable Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. Wide receiver Adam Thielens cap number and age (32) present another complicated decision, and OConnell is mindful of the many factors. 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. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. 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. Quarterbacks are never far from OConnells mind. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. The more I can learn about details and particulars of our current situation, previous situations and what it looks like moving forward, OConnell said, the more my conversations can not only come from an accurate place of where we are but where we hope to get to.. 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. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. "I feel like that foundation's in place. 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. 2. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. 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. 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. But in Kevin O'Connell's 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. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. 5. 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! We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. 4 takeaways from Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's combine press conference 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. Kevin O'Connell who is one of the richest football quarterbacks has an estimated net worth of $5 million. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. 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. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. [13] The injury required surgery. 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. Craig Peters. Right comes along. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. The riser was lower than the previous stage, but the team they've led for about a year has been elevated from an 8-9 squad to one that won 13 games for the third time within a Vikings season. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. 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.
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