The Vikings have announced that Kevin O’Connell is their next head coach.
O’Connell, who was the Rams’ offensive coordinator the last two seasons, was widely expected to be the head coach of the Vikings, and the team said today that it is now official.
“We are ecstatic to add Kevin as our head coach,” Vikings owner Mark Wilf said in a statement. “He is a strong leader, an innovative coach and an excellent communicator. Kevin played the game at all levels, which gives him a unique connection to players, and he is highly respected throughout the league. Vikings fans should be excited for the future of this team under Kevin’s direction.”
The 36-year-old O’Connell had a brief career as an NFL quarterback after the Patriots chose him out of San Diego State in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He spent time with the Patriots, Lions, Jets, Dolphins and Chargers before becoming the quarterbacks coach of the Browns in 2015. He has also been on the coaching staffs in San Francisco and Washington.
O’Connell spent a year as Kirk Cousins’ quarterbacks coach in Washington, and he’ll be tasked with getting more out of the Vikings’ offense than it has shown in Cousins’ four seasons at the helm.