The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. 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. This year brings a different scenario. 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. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielens fate in 2023. 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. 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.. Senior Editor. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. O'Connell is the son of a former FBI agent. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. 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. When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. OConnell is well aware. 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. 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.. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. 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. However, there is no mistaking the reality. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. INDIANAPOLIS -- Justin Jefferson led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions in 2022 while averaging 106.4 yards per game. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, and NFL Networks Tom Pelissero reported earlier in the week that he would not anticipate the type of one-year, fully-guaranteed extensions that the 35-year-old has signed in the past. "He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players. Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson put on a show Saturday at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, making history during his highly anticipated workout. The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. 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. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's cap hit might be rising in 2023, but owner Jerry Jones believes his quarterback has the ability to bridge the gap in any talent the roster might lose because of it. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. [2] At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. 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 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 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. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. 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. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports. Passing, he ranked tenth in yardage, eighth in attempts, and seventh in completions. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Those are all questions we got to answer. INDIANAPOLIS If you walk around to different podiums and listen to NFL coaches speak to the media about their teams offseasons, you are likely to hear a lot about culture. 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. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. [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. Is it to that standard? On third-and-8, for example, the Vikings personnel options were limited. 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 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). 3. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. 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. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. However, neither seem like a good option now. No cards were shown when OConnell was asked about Flores and the cornerback position as it pertains to the draft but it would appear that Flores will be looking for players with flexibility, whether thats in terms of position or skill set. 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. 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. Is it to that line?' "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. 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. One element of his teams play that must improve? There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. 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. 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. [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. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Follow Alec on Twitter @alec_lewis. On Wednesday, OConnell said hes hoping that their shared experience in 2022 will help both sides satisfy their needs. "That's what led to a historic number of one-score games and so that's probably been the hardest job is adjusting to those things. 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. Adofo-Mensah was hired on Jan. 26, 2022 and O'Connell was named head coach on Feb. 16 after the Rams beat the Bengals in the Super Bowl. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. We want to be there consistently with the chance to win it.". - Page 5 . Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. 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). Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. 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. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . How do you go forward building it from here? Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. Sure, it may not be good as a fresh bowl of General Tsaos Chicken, but it beats not having Chinese food at all. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. By COURTNEY CRONIN. Cousins' 4,093 passing yards marked his third-consecutive 4,000-yard passing season, helping him become the 11th quarterback in NFL history to accomplish this feat. 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. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. He was also born in Minnesota. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.". To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Before his NFL career ended in 2012, O'Connell spent time with the Miami Dolphins, a second-stint with the Jets and the San Diego Chargers. 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. They needed more receivers on the field. 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." One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. Thielen joined the Vikings a decade ago as an undrafted special teamer and clawed his way up the depth chart to WR1 by the start of 2016. McCown also broke the single-game passing record in 2015, throwing for 457 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. 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. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . Were having conversations with our players, their representation, and ultimately how all of those things shake out will be done in a way where we just want to make sure we stand by what we believe in as an organization.. 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. ", "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. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. While some coaches chose not to attend this years combine, OConnell places considerable value on meeting players in person. The Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. O'Connell compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). The numbers bear out OConnells observation. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. [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). It's supposed to sting.' The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. Will that happen? Kevin is currently the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings and his salary is $84 million for three years. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Those are things we got to answer. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. O'Connell oversaw the production of three quarterbacks in 2019, specifically rookie QB Dwayne Haskins, Jr. Once Haskins, Jr., became the full-time starter in Week 9, he passed for 1,225 yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions and an 85.5 passer rating. Wide receiver Adam Thielens cap number and age (32) present another complicated decision, and OConnell is mindful of the many factors. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. Thats because talking about culture is a good way to spend time talking about anything else other than upcoming decisions, draft philosophies, scheme changes etc. 1. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. "Reflecting on what we were able to accomplish as a football team an NFC North title and 13 wins it goes beyond that.