On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. 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. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. This year brings a different scenario. The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit . One element of his teams play that must improve? [2] At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. 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. 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 O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Kevin O'Connell Begin 2023 Vikings Standard 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. 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. 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. Here are five takeaways from the conversation, beginning with OConnells thoughts on the free-agent decisions and potential cuts that will be made in the next couple of weeks. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. 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. Kentucky's Will Levis, a likely top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spoke Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and -- in under 15 minutes -- presented himself as arguably the most self-assured QB in this year's class. The Vikings were unable to officially announce that they were hiring O'Connell until after Los Angeles' playoff run came to an end. This website is not directly or indirectly affiliated, associated, or connected in any way to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League or the National Hockey League. 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.. 5 Things to Know About Head Coach Kevin O'Connell - Minnesota Vikings 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. Rams OC Kevin O'Connell Finalizes Contract to Become Vikings Head Coach O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Jets on September 4, 2011.[16]. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. 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. [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. The Vikings announced their agreement in principle with Cousins on a one-year contract extension Sunday the latest high-leverage deal that Cousins has successfully bet on himself with and the clearest sign yet that the Vikings aren . From Week 14 through the wild-card loss to the Giants, the Vikings faced 190 snaps against defenses that played with the middle of the field open, by far the highest in the league during that period. He takes it very seriously how much people and young kids look up to him. 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. Youve got to ask yourself the question: Why?. 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). Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. 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. 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 offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. 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. 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. [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. 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. An NFLPA survey showed the Vikings as the best team for players in the league, bringing evidence that the changes they promised worked out, gave the Vikings the highest grade of any team in the NFL. 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 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. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. So theres not one right way.. They want tostart every game, lead their team to the playoffs, win a Super Bowl, [but] a lot goes into what it takes to do that.. Kevin O'Connell, fresh off a Super Bowl victory as the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator, was introduced as the Minnesota Vikings next head coach on Thursday, and the big takeaway from . Ive been very honest about that. 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. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. The idea. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. Senior Editor. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. 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. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. 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. Those are all questions we got to answer. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. 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. 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. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. 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. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in "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.". Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. 1. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. This is also a business. Aside from the quarterback situation which is like talking about building a house and saying other than the ground it stands on the Vikings will also consider the wants/needs/system of Brian Flores as they look for improvement on defense. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. A significant part of the positive culture was OConnell and Cousins working together in lockstep. 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. Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. Kevin will tease me about that sometimes. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. "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. 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. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. Pelissero noted that Brown, who interviewed for the Miami Dolphins head coaching position, is considered a "rising assistant" and is a candidate to replace O'Connell in Los Angeles. O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. The New England Patriots selected O'Connell with their fourth pick (94th overall) in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. 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. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". That will motivate us to lead this organization to the place we want to go. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. 4 takeaways from Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's combine press conference "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. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. 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.
Partition By And Order By Same Column,
Emergency Management Jobs Florida,
Nba Players That Went To D3 Colleges,
Live Doppler Radar Huntsville Alabama,
Changing Direction Of Laminate Flooring Between Rooms,
Articles K