Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. 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. Try a week on us. 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. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . Jan 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. [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. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. - Page 5 . O'Connell also helped Vikings all-time leading rusher Adrian Peterson eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards (1,040) at the age of 34. 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. Its a path that could eventually lead to another extension for Cousins, but the Vikings are doing their diligence to find Mr. Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. 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. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. Following his release, the New York Jets re-signed O'Connell to a two-year deal. EAGAN, Minn. Eleven months and a day after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah helped introduce Kevin O'Connell from a temporary stage constructed in Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center's Indoor Practice Facility, the men sat together at a table on a small riser in the Media Center. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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. 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. The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit . Already Subscribed? His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in Photos, Kevin OConnell Brings Energy, Innovation as Vikings New Head Coach, 5 Things to Know About New Vikings Head Coach Kevin OConnell. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. The rushing attack. His team won 13 games and the NFLPA just said his teams culture was the best in the league. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! 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. KARE 11 Sports Director. The obvious answer? 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. ". On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. "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. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. Kevin is currently the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and his salary is $84 million for three years. The coach has made it a priority to educate himself on the particulars of the teams cap constraints. Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:43, "Adam Thielen on KOC's lack of screaming: 'It's kind of almost awkward', "SDSU Aztecs Biography for Kevin O'Connell", "Offensive Evolution Under Long Has Come to Pass for the Aztecs", "Kevin O'Connell Draft and Combine Prospect Profile", "Kevin OConnell, San Diego State, QB, 2008 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football", "Lions have seven picks in upcoming draft", "Jets lose confidence in rookie running back Joe McKnight", "Jets release backup QB Mark Brunell, still waiting on Nnamdi Asomugha", "Jets awarded four players off waivers, including QB Kevin O'Connell; cut Aaron Maybin", "Chargers Notes: Former LCC, Aztecs QB O'Connell signed as emergency fill-in", "Kevin O'Connell hired to coach QBs as Browns round out offensive staff", "49ers adding O'Connell to offensive staff", "Kevin O'Connell will coach quarterbacks in Washington", "Redskins Promote Kevin O'Connell To Offensive Coordinator; Matt Cavanaugh Moves To Senior Offensive Assistant", "Kevin O'Connell amicably departs as Redskins hire Scott Turner as OC", "2021 Los Angeles Rams Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports", "Los Angeles Rams come back to win Super Bowl LVI 2320 in front of hometown crowd", "Minnesota Vikings Name Kevin O'Connell 10th Head Coach In Franchise History", "Minnesota Vikings officially hire 'innovative' Kevin O'Connell as new head coach", "Packers vs. Vikings - Box Score - September 11, 2020", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevin_O%27Connell_(American_football)&oldid=1141660186, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 04:43. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. INDIANAPOLIS -- Justin Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions in 2022 while averaging 106.4 yards per game. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. [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). [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. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. 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. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? 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. 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. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . 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. [2] At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. 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. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. 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. 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. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielens fate in 2023. Right. Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. 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. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. To provide the premier place to go to work and improve both personally and collectively as a team in our league means a lot to us, OConnell said. He isnt on the same tier as Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow, but is good enough to hold down the position until they can find that player. Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. Its even stronger now. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. 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. Meetings with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski have helped OConnell in this regard. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. $36.25 million against its salary . [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. Furthermore, the Rams' 1,186 passing yards in the 2021 playoffs were the most in NFL history,surpassing the 2011 New York Giants (1,144).O'Connell helped Kupp (478) and Beckham, Jr., (288) post a combined 766 receiving yards in the playoffs, the most be any wide receiver duo this postseason. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. 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. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. 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. But even if they do like mayo in their coffee, it seems like OConnell is bringing a thorough evaluation process to find their guy. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. 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 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 Minnesota Vikings have committed to quarterback Kirk Cousins for the next two seasons, banking on further improvement under new head coach Kevin O'Connell. "I think we showed a building full of people, players, coaches, staff, ownership group, this guy next to me, would have the ability to be their best when their best is required. 2. Brad Childress urged Minnesota to draft Tarvaris Jackson upon his arrival in the 2006, and then recruited Brett Favre as an act of desperation to lead the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown.