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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. The Vikings were unable to officially announce that they were hiring O'Connell until after Los Angeles' playoff run came to an end. With Cousins in his mid-30s, the Vikings need to figure out a succession plan at quarterback. O'Connell's father, Bill, was a longtime FBI agent, and his mother, Suzanne, is a teacher. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. pic.twitter.com/WKHqPZU8ea, Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 1, 2023. Jefferson's 4,825 career yards are the most in NFL history for a receiver in the first three years of a career. [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. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. Fired up to watch these guys this fall @b_petty14 @DWatford5 @EverettGolson @Connor_Cook03 @tannerlee12 @bharrisqb1 pic.twitter.com/2TNR1YJlHt 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 Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. 1. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. 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. "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.". One element of his teams play that must improve? An NFLPA survey showed the Vikings as the best team for players in the league, bringing evidence that the changes they promised worked out, gave the Vikings the highest grade of any team in the NFL. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. "Justin just had an incredible year, but what I liked about it the most was just the impactful plays at critical moments he made for our team, among a lot of our players," O'Connell said. 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). [29]. KSTPs Darren Wolfson reported that the Vikings met with Florida manI meanquarterback Anthony Richardson at the scouting combine and OConnell is keen on Kentucky quarterback Will Levis despite his Orlovskian food takes. 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). Coming off a Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, O'Connell joins the Vikings after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the past two seasons. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. 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. At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. The obvious answer? Following his All-Pro wideout's 1,809-yard, 128-catch, eight-touchdown campaign, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell believes Jefferson can soar even higher. Furthermore, the Rams' 1,186 passing yards in the 2021 playoffs were the most in NFL history,surpassing the 2011 New York Giants (1,144).O'Connell helped Kupp (478) and Beckham, Jr., (288) post a combined 766 receiving yards in the playoffs, the most be any wide receiver duo this postseason. 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. I believe in him as a player.. Sometimes how you have to reinvent yourself week in and week out, OConnell said. Already Subscribed? This is also a business. 2023 Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC , All Rights Reserved. [21] In 2019, under interim head coach Bill Callahan, O'Connell was promoted to offensive coordinator. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 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. The Vikings officially. 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. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. The Raiders plan to place the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if the sides cannot come to a deal on a long-term extension by Tuesday's deadline, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Friday. Even if the Vikings agree to a long-term extension, they seem to be willing to wait until their version of Mr. 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. He later reiterated his own self reflection following the season, saying there were a lot of phases looking at everything from how game-management and play-calling tie together to how they handle all the aspects of players schedules to the scheme. Under O'Connell, Rams quarterbacks have thrown for 1,517 passing yards (third in NFL), 11 touchdowns (fourth in NFL) and a 106.4 passer rating in playoff games (second in NFL). Right. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Photo Credit: Kirby Lee (USA TODAY Sports). Kevin William O'Connell, nicknamed "KOC", is an American former player and a football coach who is the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. 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. "It's so easy from my background to sit in front of a spreadsheet and make decisions and talk about things. INDIANAPOLIS Following his news conference Wednesday afternoon at the NFL Scouting Combine, Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin OConnell met with a small group of beat writers. To see the rest of the Kevin O'Connell's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. 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. 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. Its still something I think about often, OConnell said of the loss to the Giants. 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. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. 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. ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," 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. O'Connell graduated from San Diego State University in December 2007 with a degree in political science. Some would take this as a sign the Vikings are ready to move on. Theres a reason I feel so strongly about Kirk. Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. 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. Before the Super Bowl, Thielen said onESPNsFirst Take, I want to retire a Viking. 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. Right comes along. It is something Ive thought a lot about.. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. 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. 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. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . My main goal was just to connect with him and build on a relationship that I thought was strong already. So, ultimately, we didn't accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish, and I always want to be respectful of that. So theres not one right way.. 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. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted Tuesday that inking the wideout to a new contract is a "high priority. 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. O'Connell, 36, was a third-round pick . 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. The home runs and long ones are great, but as a play caller, Id love to be second-and-5. The Minnesota Vikings finalized their hiring of head coach Kevin O'Connell on Wednesday, completing a sharp offseason shift in direction by turning over the team to the 36-year-old. 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. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. Teams that typically played with one-high safety against most opponents often utilized two-high safeties against the Vikings. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. 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. 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. The coach has made it a priority to educate himself on the particulars of the teams cap constraints. 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. 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. 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. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. 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. 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. That will motivate us to lead this organization to the place we want to go. 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. 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. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. The rushing attack. The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. They needed more receivers on the field. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". "I think we showed a building full of people, players, coaches, staff, ownership group, this guy next to me, would have the ability to be their best when their best is required. Whatever the plan, timing is everything for the Vikings. The day the Vikings introduced defensive coordinator Brian Flores, OConnell mentioned the thorough self-evaluation process that took place when the season ended. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's media day last week at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. There are a few fundamental things that will influence decisions, starting with whether Cousins signs an extension. But even if they do like mayo in their coffee, it seems like OConnell is bringing a thorough evaluation process to find their guy. 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. 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. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. The only way theyre going to improve is through hard work and understanding that accountability factor to what their goals are, OConnell explained. When Favre finally declined, the Vikings were in another spot of desperation to draft a quarterback in 2011. 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. By COURTNEY CRONIN. However, neither seem like a good option now. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. 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. But it was part of the process to find a long-term solution. [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). On Tuesday, Adofo-Mensah explained that Cousins camp wants certainty if he is to sign a new deal, while the Vikings seek flexibility. That was somebody that was as important as anybody for me to bring to this organization I didnt know there was going to be a survey, it didnt matter to me, but I knew what that would look like with Tyler, Kwesi and myself and how we build things.. The process was complicated by the lack of free agency and offseason movement due to the NFLs player lockout. "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. 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. Having been on the visitors' sideline at U.S. Bank Stadium and experiencing that environment as an opposing coach, I am excited to now have the support of these passionate Vikings fans. All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com. 4. The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York Jets, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009. "I feel like that foundation's in place. OConnell is well aware. "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 Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. 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. 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. Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, and NFL Networks Tom Pelissero reported earlier in the week that he would not anticipate the type of one-year, fully-guaranteed extensions that the 35-year-old has signed in the past. Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. He spent his childhood in Carlsbad, California, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School. 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. 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.". Alec Lewis is a staff writer covering the Minnesota Vikings for The Athletic.