But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. The Minnesota Vikings have an intriguing decision on Adam Thielens future with the franchise, a team that has employed him since 2013. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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 just watch the way he carries himself every single day and week. 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. 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. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com. 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. Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Justin Jefferson can soar even higher. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. 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. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. In his first season as the Vikings' coach, O'Connell has compiled a 6-1 record and the team has a 3.5-game lead in the NFC North entering Week 9. 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. Minnesotas approach to their franchise quarterback seems much more scientific. The numbers bear out OConnells observation. 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) The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt ". "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.". [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. How long does he meet that threshold? 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. He also held the same position for Washington in 2019 after serving as the team'spassing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami Dolphins, but was waived on September 3. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. 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. Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. [29]. 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). 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. 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 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. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Is it to that standard? NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. 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. The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit . 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. 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. [But you] sit in exit meetings with players, and it becomes personal at that point," Adofo-Mensah said. There are times when hes mad and when Im mad. This is also a business. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. 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. Were in a position to do a lot of different things regardless of field position, score of the game, personnel groupings.. 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. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. If not, they could ride Cousins another year and try their luck to acquire their guy in 2024. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. If Levis or Richardson is the type of quarterback that answers those questions, the Vikings will likely do their best to move up. O'Connell is the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, so he can't officially become the Vikings' new head coach until after the Super Bowl. Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic. Justin Jeffersons superstar turn. 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. The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year winner, Jefferson dominated opponents, generating 10 games over the 100-yard mark in O'Connell's first season in Minnesota. 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 and the Rams are coming. ", "We've shown that we have a culture and an ability to do those things at a really high level," Adofo-Mensah said. 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. (OConnell is 6-foot-5, so his frame provides a solid comparison.). "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. Kentucky's Will Levis, a likely top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, spoke Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine and -- in under 15 minutes -- presented himself as arguably the most self-assured QB in this year's class. 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.. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. He and Adofo-Mensah greet each prospect when they enter the room both to establish their culture of care and provide other Vikings staffers in the room a glimpse at the players size. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. 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. It is something Ive thought a lot about.. But the. 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. A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The idea. 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. Player development at every position is very, very important, 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. "I feel like that foundation's in place. 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. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . [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). With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. 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. However, there is no mistaking the reality. 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. He also writes for Bring Me The News and The Viking Age and hosts The Homer Horn Podcast. [12] Following his departure, O'Connell found that he had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. 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.
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