The journey of Kevin O’Connell in the NFL has been an interesting one. Here is another example of a former player turned coach in the professional league. But O’Connell as a player hardly had a career at all if you can call 2 games which included a total of 6 throws a career. The former quarterback who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2008 found the going tough, especially with Tom Brady at the helm in Foxborough. But even after getting released, O’Connell couldn’t make the most of the opportunities presented to him by other franchises.
Unable to achieve his dreams of having an illustrious career in the league, did not phase O’Connell to the slightest. In 2015, O’Connell got his first job in the coaching world of the NFL. The Cleveland Browns appointed him as their quarterbacks coach for the season. Shortly afterwards, he got offered a job as a member of the offensive staff in San Francisco by the 49ers.
It was in 2017 that O’Connell first got a multi-year job with the then Washington Redskins (Washington Commanders) as their quarterbacks coach. However, two years into the job, the former quarterback got promoted to his first big position, the offensive coordinator. After one year there, he was let go by the new head coach and he found the same position with the Los Angeles Rams where he would spend the next two years.
Kevin O'Connell Super Bowl
O’Connell has so far won only one Super Bowl ring, as the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2021 season. Coming to the Rams was a blessing in disguise for the upcoming head coach. He got a chance to work with another young and dynamic coach Sean McVay and the duo really turned things around for the franchise. As a matter of fact, in just his second season with the Rams, O’Connell was instrumental in making the offense a top-five one in various categories.
In the 2021 season, the team did even better. Firstly, they traded quarterback Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford and added Odell Beckam Jr. to boost the offense further. Along with Beckham Jr. the Rams also got great production from their other wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Furthermore, the defense was also top-notch with players such as Aaron Donald, Von Miller, and Jalen Ramsey.
With quality players on the field on both sides of the ball and McVay and O’Connell working their magic from the sidelines, the Rams went all the way to Super Bowl LVI. Meeting the Cincinnati Bengals in the Championship game, the Rams scored points in each quarter to lift the Lombardi Trophy 23-20.
While the Super Bowl ring was a huge delight for O’Connell, the Minnesota Vikings took note and approached him for the head coach position.
Kevin O’Connell with the Vikings
The past season was the first time O’Connell took the head coach role and he did a commendable job. He was the catalyst in turning around a losing season from 2021 (8-9) into an excellent 13-4 winning one. He even tied Matt LaFleur and Jim Harbaugh for the second most wins by a rookie head coach. Although the Vikings made the playoffs, they fell short in the Wild Card Round losing to the New York Giants.
Having a steady quarterback in Kirk Cousins, one of the best young wide receivers in Justin Jefferson, Jalen Reagor and other notable players on the roster, the second year coach will have his eyes set on a deeper playoff run this year.
FAQs
A. Kevin O’Connell played only a couple of games in the NFL with the New England Patriots.
A. Kevin O’Connell is 38 years old as of August 2023. He was born on May 25, 1985.
A. In the 2021 season, Kevin O’Connell was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl winning Los Angeles Rams.
A. Kevin O’Connell attended San Diego State University and earned a degree in political science.
A. Kevin O’Connell and his wife Leah are proud parents to four kids.
