The Patriots gave no explanation for releasing O'Connell, who was in competition with veteran quarterback Andrew Walter, signed after his release from the Oakland Raiders, and undrafted free agent rookie Brian Hoyer of Michigan State. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. A lot of guys come in here and say they want to start in the NFL on Day 1. 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. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022. 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.". O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. Vikings officially hire Rams OC Kevin O'Connell as new head coach - NFL.com One of the last times I spoke with you [after roster reductions to 53], I was up here, and I think someone told me my appearance was a little more dour than it normally is and that was because that was two emotional days of having to tell people no and having to say, 'Your dream is stopped for the day.' 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. I think that's where we want to go eventually," Adofo-Mensah continued. "I greatly appreciate the Wilf family, Kwesi and the entire Minnesota Vikings organization for providing the opportunity to be their next head coach," said O'Connell. 3 Minnesota Vikings offseason moves with Kevin O'Connell - Sportsnaut OConnell continued, Adam is one of those leaders that I speak of. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . 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. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries It's supposed to hurt. 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. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". 2. 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. 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. But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. 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. Teams that typically played with one-high safety against most opponents often utilized two-high safeties against the Vikings. OConnell respects the way Patrick Peterson, soon to be an unrestricted free agent, set a standard for young contributors in the secondary. 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. 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. The Vikings left the Zimmer-Spielman era in desperate need of improved morale. 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. O'Connell also helped Vikings all-time leading rusher Adrian Peterson eclipse 1,000 scrimmage yards (1,040) at the age of 34. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. 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. Kupp, who was named 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press and Super Bowl LVI MVP, 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. 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). 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. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. And its even stronger now, OConnell said. 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. Kevin William O'Connell Bio, Age, Height, Wife, Salary, Net worth Since then, there have been postseason appearances after the 2012 (loss in Wild Card), 2015 (loss in Wild Card), 2017 (loss in NFC Championship), 2019 (loss in Divisional) and 2022 (loss in Wild Card) seasons. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. 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.. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. In July 2017, Kirk Cousins became the first quarterback to play under the franchise tag for the second consecutive year. 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. [How do you] round him to make sure that you can win that way? Really excited about Lewis and his mental growth through how he handled the adversity of that injury, OConnell said. Vikings' offseason roster decisions will be difficult, but team leaders Theres a lot of different directions you can go, OConnell said, and (each decision) affects another one and another one. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. 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. Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Minnesota Vikings have made the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as their new head coach official by sharing the news on social media. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. If OConnells staff likes a prospect like USCs Caleb Williams or North Carolinas Drake Maye, they may be better served to wait especially with an aging team that will face a harder schedule in 2023. Some believe that is too rich for an aging playmaker and have subsequently speculated about Thielen's fate in 2023. Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. [2], O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. New Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell sees 'very talented roster' in NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that the Vikings plan on interviewing Rams assistant head coach/running backs coach Thomas Brown for their offensive coordinator position under O'Connell. The coach has made it a priority to educate himself on the particulars of the teams cap constraints. NFL.com keeps you up to date with all of the latest league news from around the NFL. Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. I think we laid a foundation for where we want to go. However, there is no mistaking the reality. It comes down to efficiency, he said. The numbers bear out OConnells observation. Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the futures of Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets 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. . But in Kevin OConnells 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 made at the last NFL Combine. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. With Robert Quinn, Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward still on the board, the Vikings decided to get their guy Christian Ponder. pic.twitter.com/WKHqPZU8ea, Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 1, 2023. 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. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. "Unbelievable talent. Wide receiver Adam Thielens cap number and age (32) present another complicated decision, and OConnell is mindful of the many factors. O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. Despite entering the league three years after Stafford, Cousins is also going into his age-34 season. To say I'm excited about coaching Justin for a really long time is an understatement.". 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. "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. Thielen notched 716 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns in 2022. 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." converting part of right tackle Brian O'Neill's base salary to a signing bonus. 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. 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. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. Kevin O'Connell who is one of the richest football quarterbacks has an estimated net worth of $5 million. 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. O'Connell is the son of a former FBI agent. None of that means anything for what we do moving forward if we dont grow and evolve and change in a good capacity, OConnell said. The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. There are some hard conversations sometimes. It's supposed to sting.' He played one season for the Patriots behind QB Matt Cassel following a season-ending injury to QB Tom Brady. 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. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. 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. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. 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. On August 31, 2010, New York released O'Connell. They needed more receivers on the field. 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.. 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. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . That OConnell even cited this statistic demonstrates the team is thinking about how to fully maximize its offense. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. As he reviewed the way defenses matched up against his team, OConnell noticed a trend. 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. He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. One of those decisions involves quarterback Kirk Cousins. 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. How do you go forward building it from here? 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. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. There are times when hes mad and when Im mad. ", "Kevin is an impressive and respected leader who has been a part of some explosive offensive schemes," said Vikings Owner/Chairman Zygi Wilf. Quarterbacks are never far from OConnells mind. Right comes along. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. 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. Justin Jeffersons superstar turn.