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. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. Craig Peters. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have only held their posts for a year, but they deserve the faith of the Vikings community. - Page 5 . Adofo-Mensah shared an anecdote from after the game when he was walking the concourse behind a group of fans. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. That ultimately led the Vikings to Cousins. Vikings officially name Kevin O'Connell their new head coach 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. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. On August 31, 2010, New York released O'Connell. ", "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. Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. Visit NFL.com's transaction hub for a daily breakdown. But its hard not to wonder what would have happened if he looked ahead, saw Andrew Luck on the horizon and just rode the corpse of Donovan McNabb to the finish line to select Luck, Russell Wilson, or Cousins (!!!) By COURTNEY CRONIN. 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). The numbers bear out OConnells observation. 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. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt Quarterbacks are never far from OConnells mind. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, and The Doors (the band). 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.. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. Right. 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. 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. 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. How do you go forward building it from here? Ive been very honest about that. 3. But the biggest question on everybodys mind was what they were going to do with Kirk Cousins. So theres not one right way.. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell isn't saying if Ed Donatell will return as defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. 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. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. Senior Editor. He was 11-of-21 for 147 yards, and completed the pass which resulted in the Kai's only score of the game.[6]. Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. in the 2012 draft. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. 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. 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.. I believe in him as a player.. The New England Patriots selected O'Connell with their fourth pick (94th overall) in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, wife Leah welcome fourth child The Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. We want to be.". In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger. Youve got to ask yourself the question: Why?. Were going to continue to take a look at whats the best route to go moving forward in that room, as are all the other rooms. "Unbelievable talent. Thielen will turn 33 this summer and incur a $19.9 million cap hit against the Vikings salary cap. 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. Kevin O'Connell Offensive Scheme Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, Kevin O'Connell has been chosen to become head coach of the Minnesota Vikings officially after the Super Bowl on February 13, according to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . 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. Its even stronger now. 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. "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? The Minnesota Vikings announced Wednesday that Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell has been hired as the 10th head coach in franchise history. O'Connell and the Rams are coming. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 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. Kevin O'Connell believes Vikings are really good and have an 'elite' QB [2] At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. Not only schematically, how people play against you, but the responsibility he has as a role model. 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. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. Those are all questions we got to answer. 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. I'm sure a lot of fans will be going through that right now, and that hurts to hear, I can't lie, but I understand where that's coming from. 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. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. Rams OC Kevin O'Connell Finalizes Contract to Become Vikings Head Coach Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. Vikings' Kevin O'Connell Expects Kirk Cousins Back In 2022 In the meantime, quarterbacks such as Heath Shuler, Trent Dilfer, and Jim Druckenmiller went off the board until Green finally saw a quarterback he liked in the 1999 draft, Daunte Culpepper. Similarly to his GM one day earlier, the Vikings head coach couldnt make a strong statement about what the future would hold at QB. 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. 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. Hes the epitome of a hometown hero, universally loved, and the type of player who should retire with the Vikings. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielens fate in 2023. Armando Salguero: Kevin O'Connell Believes Vikings Are Really - OutKick 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). Following his release, the New York Jets re-signed O'Connell to a two-year deal. 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. Vikings finalize hire of champion Rams OC Kevin O'Connell . This is also a business. If I demand our team to improve in certain areas, OConnell said, Ive got to do the things we need to do as a staff.. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. He also held the same position for Washington in 2019 after serving as the team'spassing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. 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. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. A former NFL quarterback who was a career backup, O'Connell has been the Rams' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. 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. "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. Will that happen? OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. If not, they could ride Cousins another year and try their luck to acquire their guy in 2024. 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. O'Connell was waived by the Patriots on August 30, 2009, two days after a preseason game in which starting quarterback Tom Brady was injured, and, in the second half, O'Connell threw two interceptions and only threw 3 completions on 10 attempts. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. "We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. In addition to helping QB Jared Goff to his fourth consecutive of 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 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. 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. 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. . My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. 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.". The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Really excited about Lewis and his mental growth through how he handled the adversity of that injury, OConnell said. [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. The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. Vikings Coaching Staff | Minnesota Vikings - vikings.com O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). 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. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. 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.. 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). Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. The coach has made it a priority to educate himself on the particulars of the teams cap constraints. Try a week on us. [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). How OConnell and the front office maneuver through these personnel decisions to counteract the way defenses have played them could well become a key story in 2023. He played one season for the Patriots behind QB Matt Cassel following a season-ending injury to QB Tom Brady. 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). 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. O'Connell worked on special projects with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, where he overlapped with Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. 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. 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. But theres a foundation of care., OConnell said the conversations with Cousins are ongoing., Its not like theres some secret thing going on, OConnell said. But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. 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. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. 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 and Adofo-Mensah have emphasized collaboration throughout their first year together, and the first-time head coach picked up where the first-time GM left off: "As I told our team it's supposed to sting. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. On Tuesday, Adofo-Mensah explained that Cousins camp wants certainty if he is to sign a new deal, while the Vikings seek flexibility. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. Justin Jeffersons superstar turn. "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. 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 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. "He has a tremendous football IQ and is passionate about preparing, developing and communicating with his players. Player development at every position is very, very important, OConnell said. ", "We've shown that we have a culture and an ability to do those things at a really high level," Adofo-Mensah said. [19], O'Connell was hired to the offensive staff of the San Francisco 49ers on February 26, 2016. So, ultimately, we didn't accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish, and I always want to be respectful of that. Kevin O'Connell who is one of the richest football quarterbacks has an estimated net worth of $5 million. 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. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. In the early 1990s, Dennis Green used a revolving quarterback carousel that featured Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, and Jeff George. 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. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. 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. 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. The Vikings Are Still Trying To Find Mr. Right At QB O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. Already Subscribed? 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. I dont know. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. "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. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said. 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. 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. 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. 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. He categorized the current state of rushing in the NFL into three separate strategies: deploying a running quarterback, operating in the run-pass option world, and going the traditional route with run-pass deception from under center. 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. "We have to make sure we do it in an order that we can do it in given all the other decisions we have to make.". But there was a sobering line of questioning from a New York reporter pertaining to Giants head coach Brian Daboll. KARE 11 Sports Director. Its still something I think about often, OConnell said of the loss to the Giants. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. Kupp, who was named The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year at last week's NFL Honors, 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. From Week 14 through the wild-card loss to the Giants, the Vikings faced 190 snaps against defenses that played with the middle of the field open, by far the highest in the league during that period. I am committed to working tirelessly to bring them a Super Bowl championship.". He believes he's the best receiver in football -- I happen to agree with him -- and a lot goes with that. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. 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. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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. 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.