He made his NFL debut on September 21, 2008, in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins, throwing his first four career passes and completing three. Asked about the Vikings long-term future at that position, OConnell said he surveys the landscape of the position each year out of habit. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. And when I think about all that went into it, from a coaching staff standpoint, our players, our leadership of our core leaders and foundation of such a great leadership group that I was able to have in my first year as a head coach in the National Football League, I truly feel very fortunate and blessed," O'Connell added. [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. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. Vikings Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have a long to-do list Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries Jul 21 2008 Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE) In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Lions on September 1, 2009. That OConnell even cited this statistic demonstrates the team is thinking about how to fully maximize its offense. Will that happen? Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It's supposed to hurt. 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). NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. How long does he meet that threshold? 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. . 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). Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. He also held the same position for Washington in 2019 after serving as the team'spassing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. On February 17, 2015, it was announced that O'Connell was named to the position of quarterbacks coach of the Cleveland Browns for the 2015 NFL season. The Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. Its not always easy to maintain that, but I will never change from that because I just believe thats the way youre supposed to operate.. 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 by a Rams quarterback with 41, while also winning his first playoff game in his 13th season in the NFL. Sometimes how you have to reinvent yourself week in and week out, OConnell said. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. During the 2009 preseason, O'Connell was claimed by the Detroit Lions and was then later traded to the New York Jets for a seventh-round pick. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. 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. Part of the reason for this is that the Vikings were still recovering from the Herschel Walker trade. Sure, there were unsightly losses along the way, including a couple of regular-season defeats to Philadelphia and Dallas teams that each won 12 plus in the regular season and have advanced to the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs. 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. A year later, they have far more expertise of the Vikings' roster. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Jets on September 4, 2011.[16]. The Minnesota Vikings have an intriguing decision on Adam Thielens future with the franchise, a team that has employed him since 2013. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. Ive been very honest about that. Right. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. 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.. This website is not directly or indirectly affiliated, associated, or connected in any way to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League or the National Hockey League. New Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell sees 'very talented roster' in Is it to that line?' 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. O'Connell is the son of a former FBI agent. The rushing attack. Schad covers the Minnesota Vikings for Zone Coverage. 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. Doing so could mean some hard decisions on key contributors from last season like Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, ZaDarius Smith and others. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. O'Connell worked on special projects with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, where he overlapped with Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. 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. 4 takeaways from Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's combine press conference 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. Finding a suitable compromise appears to be the current strategy. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. 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. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. Thats the byproduct of trying to do things the way we do. Vikings Trade Proposal Flips Cousins For 49ers Trey Lance | Heavy.com But this regime doesnt seem to be looking for a quarterback, theyre looking for the quarterback. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. In addition to helping QB Jared Goff to his fourth consecutive season with at least 3,800 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020, O'Connell prepared QB John Wolford for a win-and-in game against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17, helping him pass for 231 yards and rush for 56 more in his NFL debut, while leading the Rams to a 18-7 victory and a playoff berth. Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. And trading him post June 1 would save the team $35 million of that against their cap. During the 2018 season, O'Connell was tasked with getting three different quarterbacks (Josh Johnson, Colt McCoy and Mark Sanchez) up to speed following a devastating injury to starting QB Alex Smith. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. 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 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. 4 takeaways from Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's combine press conference Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. [23], On January 16, 2020, O'Connell was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as offensive coordinator. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. Vikings, Cousins agree to 1-year, $35M contract extension In other words, hes going to look in the store window at this years draft class because he always does, whether he is shopping or not. 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. 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. $36.25 million against its salary . O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. 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. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. O'Connell led the Vikings to a 134 record on the season, tying Matt LaFleur and Jim Harbaugh for the second-most wins for a rookie head coach in NFL history. As we use the process of free agency and the draft to really take a look at how to evolve and fit what we want to do.. Craig Peters. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Already Subscribed? 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. Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. This is also a business. They needed more receivers on the field. Follow us for breaking news and latest updates. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction. 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. I dont know. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. Jan 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM. [20], On January 20, 2017, O'Connell was hired as the Washington Redskins' quarterbacks coach, working under head coach Jay Gruden. He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. 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. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. 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. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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. [3] O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003. But I did want to take the time to reflect and to move forward in the right way," O'Connell said. "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. 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. At the end of the day Wednesday, the Vikings head coach left the building with one of the easier media sessions youll ever run across in the NFL. 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. 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?.