"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. Youve got to ask yourself the question: Why?. 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. Looking back on Vikings history, they have stumbled trying to find a franchise quarterback. 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.. Here are five takeaways from the conversation, beginning with OConnells thoughts on the free-agent decisions and potential cuts that will be made in the next couple of weeks. 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. The Vikings had several needs coming off a 15-win season in 1998. That will motivate us to lead this organization to the place we want to go. A former NFL quarterback who was a career backup, O'Connell has been the Rams' offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. By COURTNEY CRONIN. Scouting Combine live updates Top 150 free agents Beat writer . Kevin O'Connell who is one of the richest football quarterbacks has an estimated net worth of $5 million. View photos of new Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell in photos from his time with the Rams. 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. As we did on Tuesday with Vikings general manager Kwesi. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. 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. Aug 30 2009 Released by New England. We haven't shown our ability to come in year-in, year-out and do those things. Those are things we got to answer. 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. We always have to be evaluating, OConnell said. If you tell me Im second-and-5, here we go. Wanting to make those guys feel like their coach cares about them, both the person and the player, and their future, its real, OConnell said. The Washington Commanders took Cousins in the []. O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Jets on September 4, 2011.[16]. 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.. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett spoke with media members on Friday for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication in late January. The 33-year-old quarterback's $35 million base salary for 2022 became guaranteed last March . Kevin O'Connell declines to say if Ed Donatell will return as Vikings At first, Adofo-Mensah makes it sound like Cousins is the NFLs version of microwaving Chinese leftovers at midnight. There was a mixed reaction to that pick. Who is Leah O'Connell, Wife of the Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O Not only schematically, how people play against you, but the responsibility he has as a role model. However, neither seem like a good option now. 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 Carlsbad, California, native and his wife, Leah, have two sons, Kaden and Kolten, and a daughter, Quinn. Different quarterbacks require different things around them but we know for sure that [Cousins] meets that threshold. (OConnell is 6-foot-5, so his frame provides a solid comparison.). 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. 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 with 41, while also winning his first playoff game in his 13th season in the NFL. Schad covers the Minnesota Vikings for Zone Coverage. If O'Connell's staff likes a prospect like USC's Caleb Williams . 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. 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. 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. [17] He was released on August 12, 2012. 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. What he means to our league, how he carries himself, how he works every day. And none of the endings feature everyone who was around last year. "This is a franchise with a deep history and a tremendous fan base. Spielman tried his hand at it, scouting Carson Strong and praising Malik Willis response to an overrated chant one year ago. There are times when hes mad and when Im mad. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, whose size has been a matter of conjecture in the run-up to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, officially measured in at 5-foot-10 1/8 and 204 pounds on Saturday. One thing I know, [Cousins] is good enough. His net worth is somewhere between $30 million to $35 million. "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.". 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. Ive been very honest about that. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. . Thats the byproduct of trying to do things the way we do. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin's direction. Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. 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. The Vikings Will Benefit From Their Revamped Team Culture, Theres One Ideal Way To Deal With Danielle Hunters Contract. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. But the biggest question on everybodys mind was what they were going to do with Kirk Cousins. But after a year on the bench, Culpepper took the Vikings into the next decade before suffering a multi-ligament knee injury in 2005. If not, they have the luxury of having Cousins to buy more time. These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Facebook Twitter Sources: O'Connell finalizing contract with Vikings - KUSA.com Prior to joining the Rams, O'Connell worked in Washington, serving as the quarterbacks coach in 2017-18 and the offensive coordinator in 2019. The victories and records set on the way to winning the NFC North for the first time since 2017 enabled Minnesota to host a playoff game for the first time in five years, but that excitement ended abruptly Sunday when the Giants topped the Vikings 31-24. For O'Connell to coach Jefferson for a "really long time," the star receiver will need a contract extension. Use of any marks, trademarks, or logos on this website shall not constitute a sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder. But the things we did accomplish, I think, were incredibly impactful. When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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). ", "I don't want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team, so it's a priority," Adofo-Mensah said. "He understands what is critical to leading a team that wins at the highest level, and he has an ability to simplify the complex, which will help us in problem-solving in all football areas. Kevin O'Connell Contract Breakdowns, Salary Cap Figures, Salaries Kevin O'Connell (American football) - Wikipedia Is there a chance to add somebody maybe with different skill sets? 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. O'Connell and the Rams are coming off a victory in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 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. 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. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 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.. I think we laid a foundation for where we want to go. With their limited salary cap . The Vikings have not gone to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2008-09. Sep 9 2010 Resigned a 2 year $1.25 million contract with New York (NYJ) Aug 31 2010 Waived by New York (NYJ) Sep 6 2009 Traded to NYJ from Detroit for a conditional draft pick. 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. There are some hard conversations sometimes. So have expectations going forward, until "someday" can become "the day.". Armando Salguero: Kevin O'Connell Believes Vikings Are Really - OutKick 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! [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. Kevin O'Connell Updates Adam Thielen's Status with Vikings 1. I believe in him as a player.. Culpeppers injury took the Vikings into another dark period where they took a quarterback because they needed one. Players cited the tight-knit nature of the locker room and their confidence during late-game situations as a result of the buildings updated vibes under OConnell. He called conversations ongoing about Cousinss future. 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. Right comes along. "He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. O'Connell was asked today if Donatell will be back and didn't . Jul 21 2008 Signed a 4 year $2.46 million contract with New England (NE) And its even stronger now, OConnell said. Finding a suitable compromise appears to be the current strategy. On August 31, 2010, New York released O'Connell. McCown also broke the single-game passing record in 2015, throwing for 457 yards against the Baltimore Ravens. O'Connell compared Cousins to Matthew Stafford, calling each an "elite thrower," via Tomasson (on Twitter ). 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. 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. 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. ". The idea. If not, they could ride Cousins another year and try their luck to acquire their guy in 2024. 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.' He noted that hes always going to evaluate all the quarterbacks out of habit and that he finds himself often looking at evaluations from years past, even when someone is coming available who came out in the draft a long time ago. 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. [10], He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.[11]. His team won 13 games and the NFLPA just said his teams culture was the best in the league. Under the guidance of O'Connell, Rams QB Matthew Stafford and WR Cooper Kupp both had a career years in 2021. 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. 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. ", "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. I think theres a conversation to be had to really see what that looks like: playing time and roles and responsibilities.. We're still feeling that here, but I will say that hurt, that sting, that will drive us. He grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and has written for Yahoo, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Kansas City Star, among many other places. Its just not possible when sitting $24 million over the cap (per OverTheCap.com) to bring all the veterans back. The third strategy is the one the Vikings currently employ, and it may be the option with the least room for error. The Minnesota Vikings named Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Feb. 16, 2022. He had been placed on the injured reserve list. And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to cost the Vikings $45 million on their salary cap. "But as we reflect, I think it's important to understand, be honest with our evaluations, understand taking a look at all the little things no detail is too small in how we're trying to improve as a team, improve as a coaching staff, and most importantly, improve myself. 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. How do you go forward building it from here? O'Connell was instrumental in aiding mid-season free agent signee WR Odell Beckham, Jr., to five receiving touchdowns in eight games played with the team, the most since his 2018 season with theNew York Giants. Kevin O'Connell traveling with Vikings to Washington after his daughter Michigan cornerback DJ Turner II is the early leader for fastest player at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine after posting a time of 4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash on Friday. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, wife Leah welcome fourth child The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Adofo-Mensah, who previously worked on Wall Street, was asked to assess where the Vikings stock is. While OConnell answered gracefully about his colleague, it was a reminder that they didnt finish the year with a deep playoff run. 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. In terms of the things that were different in 2022, the most noticeable were the approach to camp and preseason workloads, managing injuries and how players who were recovering from injuries were talked about publicly and the buy-in to quarterback Kirk Cousins. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell fielded questions from the media on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. But Kevin OConnells comments later in the week made it sound like something bigger was in the works. Conversely, when the Vikings ran for zero or negative yards on first down, something they did more than any other team in the league aside from the Jaguars, they would then be fighting uphill. ", "We've shown that we have a culture and an ability to do those things at a really high level," Adofo-Mensah said. Spielman hand-picked Ponder to be his quarterback after watching a game against North Carolina and a couple of practices at the Senior Bowl. I just watch the way he carries himself every single day and week. 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. Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, March 1, and he shed a little bit of light on what the team's goals are for the offseason. I am committed to working tirelessly to bring them a Super Bowl championship.". So, well see what happens.. [22] After the 201920 regular season, O'Connell was not retained by the incoming new head coach, Ron Rivera. 4. 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. 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." 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. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. 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.. 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. 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.
Cocodrie Lake, Louisiana,
Negative Impact Of Covid 19 On Teachers,
Articles K