"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. 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. [27][28] O'Connell's Vikings hiring reunited him with quarterback Kirk Cousins, whom O'Connell had coached in 2017 (Cousins' final year with the Washington Redskins). The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. 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). My main goal was just to connect with him and build on a relationship that I thought was strong already. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? 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. 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. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. 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. Top Salaries Free Agents Extensions Tools Best Values Transactions Chargers Kevin O'Connell Embed This Chargers, QB Age: 37-208d Exp: Years Drafted: Round 3 (#94 overall), 2008 College: San Diego State Agent (s): - More Chargers - Contract Details Transactions Statistics Transactions Sep 4 2011 Claimed off waivers by New York (NYJ) 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. O'Connell worked on special projects with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, where he overlapped with Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Meetings with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski have helped OConnell in this regard. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. I think the priority first and foremost is giving him time to evaluate our roster with our young players and some of our veteran players and see how pieces may fit, OConnell said. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't saying if Ed Donatell will return as defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. "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.". The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. He had been placed on the injured reserve list. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. 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. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. "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. A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. Minnesota Vikings new head coach Kevin O'Connell takes over a club that missed the postseason the past two seasons with losing records and hasn't won the NFC North since 2017. The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit . 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. 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. The home runs and long ones are great, but as a play caller, Id love to be second-and-5. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. 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. 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.. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. ", "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. On Tuesday, Adofo-Mensah explained that Cousins camp wants certainty if he is to sign a new deal, while the Vikings seek flexibility. 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. The rushing attack. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. The other was that the Vikings werent in a position to draft a quarterback, picking in the mid-20s for a majority of Greens tenure. 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. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. While they can feel reinforced by the results of the foundation laid in their first year, they also know a multitude of decisions await and all teams change from year to year. 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. 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. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. Craig Peters. "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. 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.. 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. Login Here. [13] The injury required surgery. 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. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. So theres not one right way.. How do you go forward building it from here? "Unbelievable talent. How long does he meet that threshold? The coach has made it a priority to educate himself on the particulars of the teams cap constraints. Were going to continue to take a look at whats the best route to go moving forward in that room, as are all the other rooms. ", "We've shown that we have a culture and an ability to do those things at a really high level," Adofo-Mensah 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. O'Connell was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft and played quarterback at San Diego State University. Already Subscribed? 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. 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.. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. 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. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. ", 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. - Page 5 . 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. It's supposed to sting.' "One of my favorite players I've ever coached, I've told him that," O'Connell said of Jefferson. 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. . 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. "And then, sure enough, she ended up in the same place. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. And trading him post June 1 would save the team $35 million of that against their cap. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. 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. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. Thats the byproduct of trying to do things the way we do. Jul 21 2008 Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE) [4][5] At SDSU, where he was a four-year team captain, he started 21 games, the sixth-most among SDSU quarterbacks, and ranked first in school history in career rushing yards and second in career rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks; in 2007 he led the team in rushing yards. 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. So, well see what happens.. But there was a sobering line of questioning from a New York reporter pertaining to Giants head coach Brian Daboll. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. [3] O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . 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. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. Theres a lot of different directions you can go, OConnell said, and (each decision) affects another one and another one. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. He called conversations ongoing about Cousinss future. During the 2018 season, O'Connell was tasked with getting three different quarterbacks (Josh Johnson, Colt McCoy and Mark Sanchez) up to speed following a devastating injury to starting QB Alex Smith. The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. "He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players. The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. 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). At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. But theres a foundation of care., OConnell said the conversations with Cousins are ongoing., Its not like theres some secret thing going on, OConnell said. 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). Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. 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. "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. To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". 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. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. 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." Its even stronger now. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. 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. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah have emphasized collaboration throughout their first year together, and the first-time head coach picked up where the first-time GM left off: "As I told our team it's supposed to sting. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. ", "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. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. "Now, we've got to all the last phase of that is the accountability to each other, to make sure that that standard is championship worthy, and we're putting ourselves in that conversation to a man and to a woman in this building that we're looking at each other and asking ourselves the question, 'With everything we do, is it championship worthy? Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. 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. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. 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 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. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. 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. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. Weve got some real decisions to talk through and things to work through, OConnell said. He was 11-of-21 for 147 yards, and completed the pass which resulted in the Kai's only score of the game.[6]. KSTPs Darren Wolfson reported that the Vikings met with Florida manI meanquarterback Anthony Richardson at the scouting combine and OConnell is keen on Kentucky quarterback Will Levis despite his Orlovskian food takes. 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. 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. 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. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 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. 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. Vikings Players Close Out Season with Locker Room Clean Out. 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. ", "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. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. One of the last times I spoke with you [after roster reductions to 53], I was up here, and I think someone told me my appearance was a little more dour than it normally is and that was because that was two emotional days of having to tell people no and having to say, 'Your dream is stopped for the day.'