Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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 following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. On August 31, 2010, New York released O'Connell. 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.. 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. Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. EAGAN, Minn. Eleven months and a day after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah helped introduce Kevin O'Connell from a temporary stage constructed in Twin . But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. 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). 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. 2. [10], He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.[11]. 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. 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. "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.". 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. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. It's supposed to hurt. I just watch the way he carries himself every single day and week. On Tuesday, Adofo-Mensah explained that Cousins camp wants certainty if he is to sign a new deal, while the Vikings seek flexibility. We want to be.". Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Jefferson can soar even higher. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. 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. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. ", 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. Kevin William O'Connell (born May 25, 1985), nicknamed " KOC ", [1] is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). Vikings Name Kevin O'Connell Head Coach - Minnesota Vikings 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. 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. 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. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Behind The Scenes of Kevin O'Connell's Media Day at The Combine converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. However, there is no mistaking the reality. 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 Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. So theres not one right way.. 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. - Page 5 . The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. 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. He recently coached Stafford to a Super Bowl win, helping him post a 4-0 record in the postseason and 108.3 passer rating, which trailed only QB Josh Allen and QB Patrick Mahomes. "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. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. So, well see what happens.. ". What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. 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. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . But the. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. 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. Kevin will tease me about that sometimes. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. [13] The injury required surgery. 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. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. "Justin just had an incredible year, but what I liked about it the most was just the impactful plays at critical moments he made for our team, among a lot of our players," O'Connell said. He also writes for Bring Me The News and The Viking Age and hosts The Homer Horn Podcast. OConnell explained Wednesday that that process ranged from reviewing game-management decisions to gauging his teams success in various schemes and plays. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. Vikings finalize hire of champion Rams OC Kevin O'Connell 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. 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. 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. Kevin O'Connell signed a 1 year, - contract with the San Diego Chargers, including an average annual salary of -. 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. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. 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. "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. 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. In July 2017, Kirk Cousins became the first quarterback to play under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. 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. Vikings Trade Proposal Flips Cousins For 49ers Trey Lance | Heavy.com Wide receiver Adam Thielens cap number and age (32) present another complicated decision, and OConnell is mindful of the many factors. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022 A significant part of the positive culture was OConnell and Cousins working together in lockstep. Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. Kevin William O'Connell (born May 25, 1985), nicknamed "KOC",[1] is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). 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. OConnell is well aware. By COURTNEY CRONIN. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. 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. 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. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. [29]. 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. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. pic.twitter.com/WKHqPZU8ea, Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 1, 2023. This time of year tends to be a difficult time when youre talking about players futures and how they affect the greater picture of our team, and those conversations are ongoing, he said. There are some hard conversations sometimes. Login Here. Beyond the Xs and Os, everyone we spoke with throughout this search process spoke highly of Kevin's ability to motivate players, coaches and staff. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. Vikings' offseason roster decisions will be difficult, but team leaders [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). There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. This is also a business. View images from the Vikings locker room at TCO Performance Center on Monday as players cleaned out their lockers at the end of the 2022-23 season. Right comes along. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. [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. 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.. 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. With their limited salary cap . Craig Peters. O'Connell also played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and San Diego Chargers before retiring in 2012. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Jul 21 2008 Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE) "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? 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. Sources: O'Connell finalizing contract with Vikings - KUSA.com
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Woburn, Ma Police Log 2019, Articles K