He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.". On third-and-8, for example, the Vikings personnel options were limited. 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. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. But the things we did accomplish, I think, were incredibly impactful. 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. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. 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. Browse our online application for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, EPL, or MLS player contracts, salaries, transactions, and more. 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. How long does he meet that threshold? So, ultimately, we didn't accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish, and I always want to be respectful of that. 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. 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. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. We laugh. This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. 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. Understanding the goals of culture and the goals of building up through our leadership and setting a foundation and platform for every individual in this building to feel like they can thrive and grow and eventually reach their truest, highest potential. He also held the same position for Washington in 2019 after serving as the team'spassing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. For what its worth, SIs Albert Breer said on The Rich Eisen Show that many teams believe that the best quarterback prospects are still in college. Kevin O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. 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! Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. O'Connell, 36, was a member of the 49ers coaching staff (special projects) in 2016 and overlapped that season with new Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. 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. 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Here are five things to know. Asked about the Vikings long-term future at that position, OConnell said he surveys the landscape of the position each year out of habit. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. "And then, sure enough, she ended up in the same place. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. Kevin is currently the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and his salary is $84 million for three years. New Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he is "excited to coach" quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2022 and is "anticipating" him being a part of the team's plans. 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.. A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. 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. 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. 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. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. 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). 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. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. 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. 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. His teammates voted him as a captain for what he means not only to our organization but the Twin Cities. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. I know this guy next to me and myself will lead and push and drive, because we don't want to feel this way, this early, ever again. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . 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. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. 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. This is also a business. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. 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. [14] He was later released again on July 29, 2011.[15]. At the same time, proud of what they've accomplished this year and look forward to the first day of the offseason program, when we get those guys back in here.". Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. That, more than anything, is what OConnell wants to eliminate. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. 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. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. "Unbelievable talent. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. With their limited salary cap . He called conversations ongoing about Cousinss future. In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. Senior Editor. 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. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. "I feel like that foundation's in place. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. The personnel department continued to be on the lookout for players who became available after their release by other teams, and the coaching staff usually helped integrate the acquired player quickly, whether it was Za'Darius Smith in Week 1 or T.J. Hockenson in Week 9. INDIANAPOLIS -- Justin Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions in 2022 while averaging 106.4 yards per game. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. The more I can educate myself, learning about the details and particulars of our current situation, our previous situation, and obviously what it looks like moving forward, the more my conversations can be not only from an accurate place of where we are at this moment but where we hope to get to, 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 by a Rams quarterback with 41, while also winning his first playoff game in his 13th season in the NFL. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. 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.. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. 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.. Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. 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. 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. OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band). 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. 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. 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. 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. Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. It comes down to efficiency, he said. 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. 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. They needed more receivers on the field. Right. He was also born in Minnesota. 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. 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. And trading him post June 1 would save the team $35 million of that against their cap. Adofo-Mensah admitted his elevation to GM brought him more exposure to the human elements than when he was advancing through the research-and-development departments with the 49ers and Browns. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. This year brings a different scenario. KARE 11 Sports Director. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. In terms of the things that were different in 2022, the most noticeable were the approach to camp and preseason workloads, managing injuries and how players who were recovering from injuries were talked about publicly and the buy-in to quarterback Kirk Cousins. 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. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. It is something Ive thought a lot about.. If not, they have the luxury of having Cousins to buy more time. 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. 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. And I also want my opportunity to show that I can play at a high level. Its a path that could eventually lead to another extension for Cousins, but the Vikings are doing their diligence to find Mr. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. 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. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. ", "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. 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. 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. ". 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.. Eagan, Minn. (February 15, 2022) - The Minnesota Vikings have named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. [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). But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. 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. 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 day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. 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. Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. "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. 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. 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. 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. And when I think about all that went into it, from a coaching staff standpoint, our players, our leadership of our core leaders and foundation of such a great leadership group that I was able to have in my first year as a head coach in the National Football League, I truly feel very fortunate and blessed," O'Connell added. 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. We want to be.". 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.