Is it to that standard? 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. It's supposed to hurt. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. Sometimes how you have to reinvent yourself week in and week out, OConnell said. 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. 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. When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. How long does he meet that threshold? ", "We've shown that we have a culture and an ability to do those things at a really high level," Adofo-Mensah said. converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. Under O'Connell, Rams quarterbacks have thrown for 1,517 passing yards (third in NFL), 11 touchdowns (fourth in NFL) and a 106.4 passer rating in playoff games (second in NFL). "That's what led to a historic number of one-score games and so that's probably been the hardest job is adjusting to those things. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. 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. 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.. It is something Ive thought a lot about.. Login Here. 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.. 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. 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. 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. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. 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 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. 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. The last remaining head coach opening in the NFL has been filled. He's McVay's second coordinator in two years to move on, joiningformer Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who is now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. OConnell did note that safety Lewis Cine was ahead of schedule in his rehab from a severe leg injury suffered in London last season and that Cine has been at TCO Performance Center making regular stop-ins to his office. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. "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. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. 3. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. [3] O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003. I believe in him as a player and was really proud of the way he played this year but we always have to be evaluating, he said. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. 1. 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. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. He later reiterated his own self reflection following the season, saying there were a lot of phases looking at everything from how game-management and play-calling tie together to how they handle all the aspects of players schedules to the scheme. O'Connell'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 claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. 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. 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. [10], He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.[11]. 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. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. Passing, he ranked tenth in yardage, eighth in attempts, and seventh in completions. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. 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. 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). 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. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. 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. ". 4. 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 was also born in Minnesota. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. 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. 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. [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. I think that's where we want to go eventually," Adofo-Mensah continued. Its still something I think about often, OConnell said of the loss to the Giants. "He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players. ", "Making sure that the standard of knowing we've got the culture, knowing we've got the right things going in this building," O'Connell said. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. 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. The Minnesota Vikings have an intriguing decision on Adam Thielens future with the franchise, a team that has employed him since 2013. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. 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. 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.. 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. 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. 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. Right. ", 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. Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Top 10 Justin Jefferson plays | 2022 season, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah compares team building through draft vs. through free agency, trades. 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. 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. "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. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. 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! Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. 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. 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. Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. On third-and-8, for example, the Vikings personnel options were limited. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. He noted that hes always going to evaluate all the quarterbacks out of habit and that he finds himself often looking at evaluations from years past, even when someone is coming available who came out in the draft a long time ago. The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. 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 O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works.

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