Vikings' offseason roster decisions will be difficult, but team leaders O'Connell has an older sister, Kelly, who is an attorney. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. 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.. Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson is "fired up" to work with Washington's new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 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. 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. 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. The Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. Adofo-Mensah also stated that there are a lot of other factors to consider what type of quarterback the Vikings could be looking for. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and his wife Leah welcomed their fourth child to the family on Friday night, . The offensive line's sack rate, 4.5%, was the fifth-lowest in the NFL over the past two years. 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. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. 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. To better myself and make sure I'm doing everything that I can in this role that I feel so lucky to have and also so prepared to have. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted Tuesday that inking the wideout to a new contract is a "high priority. O'Connell, who led the Rams to finish ninth in total offense (372.1 yards per game) in 2021, 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. To provide the premier place to go to work and improve both personally and collectively as a team in our league means a lot to us, OConnell said. 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. "But I wouldn't say that we're that established, 'there' team because we haven't shown it yet. 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. 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. - Page 5 . 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.. None of that is to say OConnell is not evaluating quarterbacks in this years draft. The survey of more than 1,300 players that looked at numerous aspects of an organization from facilities to treatment of families to training staff gave the Vikings the highest grade of any team in the NFL. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. He said it's between a startup and one with an ability to earn, adding "in our business, earning is wins. Maybe its not even for any one particular year.. 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). McCown also broke the single-game passing record in 2015, throwing for 457 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. Were going to continue to look at whats the best route to go moving forward (with Thielen), OConnell said.
Vikings, Cousins agree to 1-year, $35M contract extension 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. 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. One thing he knows is that no matter how many As he got in a survey or wins he posted as a first-year coach, that doesnt mean they can do it all again the same way and get the same results. "Like [O'Connell] said in his final meeting, 'It's supposed to hurt. 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." 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. But Adofo-Mensah gave his own review about his starting quarterback. Cousins is attached to a fully guaranteed $35MM base salary. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. 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. OConnell, though, sounded committed to making it work. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. O'Connell is the latest in Sean McVay's coaching tree to land a head coaching job, following the likes of Matt LaFleur with the Green Bay Packers and Zac Taylor with the Bengals. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. He is a genuinely positive person who will help create a high-energy internal environment.". I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. Following his release, the New York Jets re-signed O'Connell to a two-year deal. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. The rushing attack. 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. There also were road losses at Detroit and Green Bay after the calendar flipped to December. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. How long does he meet that threshold? All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. "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? 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. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. OConnell knows safety Harrison Smith has done much of the same. [14] He was later released again on July 29, 2011.[15]. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. It's supposed to sting.' 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). 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. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Is it to that standard? On third-and-8, for example, the Vikings personnel options were limited. Vikings Players Close Out Season with Locker Room Clean Out. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. [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). "I came from a business where your job is to not be emotional and if you make emotional decisions, you typically make bad decisions. My main goal was to connect with (Cousins) and build on a relationship, OConnell said. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. They needed more receivers on the field. But Kevin O'Connell's comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. We laugh. $36.25 million against its salary . O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los A. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . 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. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. 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. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. How do you build the rest of the team? Adofo-Mensah asked. The Minnesota Vikings have an intriguing decision on Adam Thielens future with the franchise, a team that has employed him since 2013. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. 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. What he means to our league, how he carries himself, how he works every day. Even as other quarterbacks such as Willis, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell were there in the latest rounds of the draft, the Vikings didnt pull the trigger.
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.
Minnesota Vikings' Kevin O'Connell 'excited to coach' Kirk Cousins in 2022 The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout.
Kevin O'Connell declines to say if Ed Donatell will return as Vikings The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. 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.. Heck, it was even over 70 degrees outside. 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. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. 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. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. 4. 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. This organization saw a shift in how it was being defended from previous years to this year, OConnell said. If they want a quarterback in this draft, they seem willing to find a way to get them.
Vikings Coaching Staff | Minnesota Vikings - vikings.com 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.. The Vikings tried to identify another quarterback when trading up for Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. The Vikings are coming off a 13-win season, but also a disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs. 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. I dont know. Florida's Anthony Richardson, one of the draft's most intriguing QB prospects, told reporters on Friday that in high school he modeled his game after two notable passers: Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson. Craig Peters. 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 hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. (OConnell is 6-foot-5, so his frame provides a solid comparison.).
The wait is over for Minnesota Vikings fans who were a bit .