But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. 4. 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). He also writes for Bring Me The News and The Viking Age and hosts The Homer Horn Podcast. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. 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. I am committed to working tirelessly to bring them a Super Bowl championship.". The assessments of inherited players were made a year ago through film study and advanced metrics. 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.". 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. Sometimes how you have to reinvent yourself week in and week out, OConnell said. But the things we did accomplish, I think, were incredibly impactful. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. 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. If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. Right comes along. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. The Vikings were unable to officially announce that they were hiring O'Connell until after Los Angeles' playoff run came to an end. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . 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. It's supposed to sting.' "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't saying if Ed Donatell will return as defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. If not, they have the luxury of having Cousins to buy more time. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Finding a suitable compromise appears to be the current strategy. The Wilfs and the resources they give us to bring in the people, like [exectuive director of player health and performance] Tyler Williams, OConnell said. 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. OConnell is well aware. But Adofo-Mensah gave his own review about his starting quarterback. 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. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. 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. 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). This year brings a different scenario. 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). Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band). Despite entering the league three years after Stafford, Cousins is also going into his age-34 season. But even if they do like mayo in their coffee, it seems like OConnell is bringing a thorough evaluation process to find their guy. "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. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. 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. What I was really impressed with Justin this year was the leadership, the next step. 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.. The Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. They could have done what the Pittsburgh Steelers did by drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round last year, but they knew he wasnt the guy. O'Connell is the latest in Sean McVay's coaching tree to land a head coaching job, following the likes of Matt LaFleur with the Green Bay Packers and Zac Taylor with the Bengals. $36.25 million against its salary . 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. 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 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. [4] He was the Kai team quarterback in the 2008 Hula Bowl, where he led the offense and was one of the Kai team's only bright spots. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The Minnesota Vikings have made the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach official by sharing the news on social media. The Vikings need to clear $23 million of 2023 salary to get under the cap. 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. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.". converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". However, there is no mistaking the reality. [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. 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. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. The Vikings officially. Right. 1 in other areas before hiring OConnell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, particularly with a different attitude toward players and increased focus on sports science in the training room. 5. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Is it to that line?' Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. It is something Ive thought a lot about.. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Along the way, personal relationships grew. 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. 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). 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. 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. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. He takes it very seriously how much people and young kids look up to him. Kupp, who was named 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press and Super Bowl LVI MVP, had one of the best receiving seasons in NFL history, leading the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16), earning AP First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. 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. One element of his teams play that must improve? 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. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. in the 2012 draft. But in Kevin O'Connell's 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. ". The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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.. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. It meets that first threshold, and thats a question that a lot of people cant answer with a yes. So we have got to make sure that we treat that in the proper importance it is.. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Jets on September 4, 2011.[16]. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. With their limited salary cap . Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. A significant part of the positive culture was OConnell and Cousins working together in lockstep. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. 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. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. 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. Predictability, then, provides comfort to defenses. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, March 1, and he shed a little bit of light on what the team's goals are for the offseason. 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. Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. But even if he didnt injure his knee at Winter Park, its fair to wonder if he would have ever become the long-term franchise quarterback. Even if the Vikings agree to a long-term extension, they seem to be willing to wait until their version of Mr. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. If they want a quarterback in this draft, they seem willing to find a way to get them. He played one season for the Patriots behind QB Matt Cassel following a season-ending injury to QB Tom Brady. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. Hes the epitome of a hometown hero, universally loved, and the type of player who should retire with the Vikings. But in between 16-point wins against the Packers in Week 1 and Bears in Week 18 were plentiful memorable moments during a wild ride. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Vikings plan on interviewing Rams assistant head coach/running backs coach Thomas Brown for their offensive coordinator position under O'Connell. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. 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. O'Connell also helped Vikings all-time leading rusher Adrian Peterson eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards (1,040) at the age of 34. What was initially pitched as a competitive rebuild and trying to win on the margins morphed into setting an NFL record for the most one-score wins in a season (11-0) thanks to players who were led to become situational masters at key moments of close games. "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.". The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. 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. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. Follow Alec on Twitter @alec_lewis. 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. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. 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. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. O'Connell, 36, was a third-round pick . . This is also a business. 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.. Certainly the facilities would have gotten an A+ last year but its hard to imagine they would have ranked No. 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. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. 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. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had career years in 2021. 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? These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. Harrison Smith stats (2021): 73% completion % allowed, 98.7 QB rating allowed Already a projected $14 million over the 2022 NFL salary cap, the Vikings need to clear a ton of room. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. 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. So, ultimately, we didn't accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish, and I always want to be respectful of that. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. ", "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," Adofo-Mensah said. Theres a lot of different directions you can go, OConnell said, and (each decision) affects another one and another one. O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. [3] O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. 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.. 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. Youve got to ask yourself the question: Why?. I just watch the way he carries himself every single day and week. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. 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. 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.. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. 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 joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. [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. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. Those are things we got to answer. 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. [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. 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. Just scratching the surface with #18 pic.twitter.com/MpWlPV7MoN, And then, ultimately, OConnell said, youve got to ask: How do we use that information to our advantage moving forward?. Is it to that standard? [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). "As crazy as this sounds, leading the league in yards and receptions, I think he and I have just scratched the surface of where we want to go as an offense, particularly with him as our premier receiver," O'Connell said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. 3. 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. 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. 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. Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. [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). Passing, he ranked tenth in yardage, eighth in attempts, and seventh in completions. 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 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. 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) 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. . Kevin will tease me about that sometimes. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, O'Connell. 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. Quarterbacks are never far from OConnells mind. Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. "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. Quarterback Mike White said he'd like to return to the New York Jets, but knows it might not happen as he heads toward free agency. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. Ive been very honest about that. By COURTNEY CRONIN. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction. (OConnell is 6-foot-5, so his frame provides a solid comparison.). 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. The 34-year-old has put up good statistics over the years, including 33 TDs and seven interceptions last season, but he's never delivered any sustained postseason success. The numbers bear out OConnells observation. 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. But the biggest question on everybodys mind was what they were going to do with Kirk Cousins. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. So theres not one right way.. buccaneer plus glyphosate herbicide sds,
Reading Utility Body Ladder Rack, Sandfest Port Aransas 2022, How Tall Is George Stephanopoulos Married To, 5 Letter Words With Ole In The Middle, Aaron Collins Mask Spreadsheet, Articles K