Latest news with #KevinOConnell
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New book adds wrinkle to QB drama in NFC North and 2024 NFL Draft class
The NFL Draft is the best thing we have in sports, outside of the Super Bowl. You know why? There is no better reality show because it checks all the boxes you want. It's a game of chance, skills, and critical thinking that all can still need to have more luck than anything when it is all said and done. Case in point, we are over a year removed from the 2024 NFL Draft and we are hearing new details about the draft process for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Advertisement In a new book written by Seth Wickersham titled, "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback," details are shared about the mindset of Williams and his father, Carl. Details include everything from questions surrounding Shane Waldron and Matt Eberflus to even trying to work there way out of Chicago. Ironically, the Vikings played a major role in making things more difficult, as the book details, according to an ESPN report. "After an up-and-down final season at USC, Caleb Williams was unsure of what he wanted to do as he prepared for the 2024 draft. At the NFL combine that year, he met with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. The two hit it off, and Caleb Williams began to dream of what it would be like to play for Minnesota." It peaked when Caleb Williams said, "I need to go to the Vikings," to which his father said, "Let's do it." Advertisement Obviously, the Bears drafted Caleb Williams, and there are more details as to how rocky that year was for him. Of course, the Vikings went with J.J. McCarthy, and they seem perfectly happy with him on their roster and are ready to roll with him in 2025 and beyond. This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: New book adds drama to Caleb Williams, J.J. McCarthy, and NFC North
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bears' Caleb Williams addresses report regarding hope to play for Vikings
One of the more interesting nuggets of the offseason related to Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and a book that was published. Within the book, it was reported that Williams had such a good meeting with the Vikings during the draft process that both he and his dad wanted to him to be a Viking. They ultimately decided against it and didn't want to make it an ugly display publicly to make that happen and as we fast forward, both parties are seemingly happy with where things stand in their quarterback rooms. Advertisement That doesn't mean people are forgetting, though. When Caleb Williams reported to Bears OTAs this past week, he spoke to the media about the report that came from the book. Williams kept things professional but did add, 'I had a good visit at the other place, Minnesota with Kevin O'Connell, good staff and all of that obviously.' Williams now has an offensive genius in new Bears head coach Ben Johnson, with whom he hopes to have a fruitful relationship. Johnson was able to turn the Lions into one of the best offenses in the NFL with Jared Goff directing their unit. With Williams, the sky is the limit, and it could quickly become a problem for the Vikings. This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Caleb Williams addresses report regarding hope to play for Vikings
Reuters
2 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signs extension
May 30 - The Minnesota Vikings announced a multiyear contract extension for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday. The Vikings are 34-17 with two postseason appearances since Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell arrived ahead of the 2022 season. "Kwesi's leadership, vision and collaboration with our coaching staff has positioned the Minnesota Vikings for sustained success," Vikings co-owner and president Mark Wilf said. "His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future, and we are confident that under the guidance of him and Kevin O'Connell, we will continue to compete at the highest level as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans." Minnesota went 14-3 in 2024, its best finish since a 15-1 campaign in 1998. "This organization means so much to me, and I've always believed in what we're building here. From the ownership to the incredible staff, there's a true commitment to creating a winning culture with the goal of competing year in and year out," Adofo-Mensah said. "I'm thankful for the trust the Wilf family has placed in me, and I'm thrilled to continue leading our football operation alongside Coach O'Connell. Minnesota has welcomed my family with open arms, and we embrace the sacrifices that come with chasing the ultimate prize, knowing what it will mean to the best fan base and this great state. "While we've made significant strides already, our focus will remain on building a team positioned as a perennial contender," he added. "This extension signifies we are on solid ground with the long-term vision we have set, and I'm incredibly excited to work with this group of talented people as we continue to push the boundaries of what this franchise can achieve." Minnesota's .667 winning percentage over the past three seasons ranks third in the NFC behind the Philadelphia Eagles (.784) and Detroit Lions (.706). Adofo-Mensah, 43, worked in the front offices of the San Francisco 49ers (2013-19) and Cleveland Browns (2020-21) before joining the Vikings. --Field Level Media
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Vikings' QB Whisperer O'Connell Faces Biggest Test With McCarthy
Kevin O'Connell faces an enormous task as he prepares for the 2025 season. (Photo by Kevin C. ...) There is no resting on past accomplishments for Vikings fourth-year head coach Kevin O'Connell. While the first three years of his association with the organization have clearly been successful with a 13-win season in 2022 and a 14-win season last year, O'Connell is facing the biggest test of his career. O'Connell came to the Vikings with a reputation of being an expert at working with quarterbacks. He has been elite in that area, as he brought out a Super Bowl-winning performance from Matthew Stafford with the Los Angeles Rams as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Sean McVay. He was the 'hot' assistant when the Vikings hired him, and he helped Kirk Cousins deliver a Pro Bowl performance that included a 65.9 completion percentage and 29 TDs in his first year. That led to a first-place finish in the NFC North even though the Minnesota defense was putrid. When Cousins suffered an Achilles injury in 2023, O'Connell did a fine job of keeping the team afloat and in the playoff race until the final weeks of the regular season with non-descript quarterbacks Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall under center. O'Connell was at his best last year after the Vikings lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus in the team's first preseason game. The Vikings turned to backup Sam Darnold as the team's QB1, and he had the best season of his career. Darnold threw 35 TD passes and completed 66.2 percent of his attempts. The Vikings could have brought Darnold back, but a decision was made to let him leave through free agency. The team wants McCarthy to take over at quarterback because general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, O'Connell and the coaching staff believe he has a chance to rank with the best quarterbacks in the league. This will be the biggest test of O'Connell's coaching career. There's no doubt about his knowledge of the quarterback position and he clearly has had excellent results. However, does that mean O'Connell will have success with every quarterback he collaborates with? There are no guarantees. J.J. McCarthy is preparing for a huge challenge with the Vikings in 2025. (Photo by Stephen ...) Even if he is successful with McCarthy, it does not mean the quarterback will avoid errors and mistakes along the way. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs is the top performer in the league based on the success he has had with three Super Bowl titles and five Super Bowl appearances. Expecting McCarthy to perform at a similar level would be foolhardy. McCarthy was one of six first-round quarterbacks selected in the 2024 NFL Draft and the top performer to this point is Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders. He drove the team to the NFC title game in his first year in the league. O'Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown are too smart to fall into the trap of comparing McCarthy to other signal callers. Instead, they have a plan of development that challenges the young quarterback every time he takes snap. McCarthy is on the field for the first time during the Vikings' Organized Training Activity (OTA), and the brain trust has challenged the former Michigan quarterback to pursue improvement on every snap. 'We're constantly making it feel like he's growing,' O'Connell said. 'But it's never about him being comfortable or satisfied on any particular outcome because we're building toward something much greater than a play here or there.' These are the first steps that McCarthy is taking as he prepares to become the starting quarterback when the season opens in Week One against the Chicago Bears. The pressure on the quarterback and the head coach will ratchet up throughout the rest of the offseason, training camp and the start of the season. The Vikings are hoping to battle the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers for superiority in the NFC North and perhaps the top seed in the NFC. The team appears to be loaded with talent at nearly all the key positions and the key to their success will be the development and performance of their young quarterback. Nobody knows this better than O'Connell, the quarterback whisperer.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Vikings sign GM Adofo-Mensah to extension, keeping his contract in sync with O'Connell's
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings signed general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to a multi-year contract extension on Friday, keeping his status in sync with head coach Kevin O'Connell's for the long term. O'Connell's extension was done in January, following a 14-win season. Both Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell were hired in 2022 on four-year deals. The length of their new contracts was not released by the Vikings, who are 34-17 in the regular season since they arrived. They're 0-2 in the playoffs. 'Kwesi's leadership, vision and collaboration with our coaching staff has positioned the Minnesota Vikings for sustained success,' owner and president Mark Wilf said in a statement distributed by the team. 'His dedication and forward-thinking approach have been instrumental in shaping our roster and future, and we are confident that under the guidance of him and Kevin O'Connell, we will continue to compete at the highest level as we pursue a championship for Vikings fans.' The 43-year-old Adofo-Mensah, who has economics degrees from Princeton and Stanford and started his first career on Wall Street as a commodities trader and portfolio manager, entered the NFL in 2013 with the San Francisco 49ers as a research and development specialist. He was hired in 2020 as a vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns, before taking the job with the Vikings. ___ AP NFL:
