Kevin O’Connell will officially become coach of the Minnesota Vikings sometime following the Super Bowl, but the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator can’t yet publicly acknowledge his upcoming new gig due to NFL regulations.
That led to a tap dance around the topic that ensued when O’Connell was available to reporters on Wednesday evening.
“I’m incredibly humbled by the opportunity that is ahead of me,” O’Connell said, careful not to reveal where he will soon be employed. “I’m also trying to appreciate what I’m a part of here. It is something I’ve tried to absorb because it is something I would like to recreate.”
O’Connell, 36, said he would look to model the culture after what he has learned from Rams coach Sean McVay over the past two seasons. He also was offensive coordinator for the Washington NFL team in 2019 before joining McVay’s staff.
“He’s one of the greatest people I’ve met in this league,” O’Connell said. “He’s so caring, he’s so understanding. It is a special, special thing to have been able to coach for him.”
O’Connell was a college quarterback at San Diego State and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 draft. Though he spent just 16 months with New England, the coaching bug bit him as he shared a quarterback room with Tom Brady and watched how coach Bill Belichick ran a team.
Now, he’s trying to keep his focus on the Super Bowl with the Rams but also fitting in time to put together a staff with the Vikings.
“Definitely more difficult,” O’Connell said of not being able to concentrate solely on his current team. “When you get to this point, you want to put everything into the game plan so you know when the ball gets kicked off Sunday, we’ve done everything we could.
“You also want to make sure you get off to a great start with whatever opportunity is ahead. You never feel like there is enough time or enough hours in the day.”
–Rams linebacker Von Miller was stunned when he was traded to Los Angeles by the Broncos on Nov. 1. He spent 9 1/2 seasons with Denver and was Super Bowl MVP when the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers following the 2015 season.
He envisioned playing for one team his entire career — the Broncos.
“I was hurt. You know football is a business,” the 32-year-old veteran said. “I’ve seen it and understood it, but when it was my turn to be part of the business, it hurt and I cried. I was super-attached to my teammates in Denver and the organization. …
“When you get traded, you don’t have a whole week to say goodbye. You have 30 to 45 minutes, and it was too short.”
Now Miller is in position to earn another Super Bowl ring. And his feelings about being traded have changed in that he now views it as a good break.
“They welcomed me with open arms and it was a true blessing to become part of the Rams organization,” said Miller, who had five sacks in eight regular-season games with the Rams and has added two more in the postseason.
–The Rams are the second straight team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium, following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after that scenario never occurred in the first 54 Super Bowls.
However, there surely won’t be the same number of Rams fans inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., as there is during a regular-season game. And Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford can understand why.
“I hope our fans are out there going crazy,” Stafford said. “The Super Bowl is a different beast in terms of tickets. I’ve seen some of those prices … but I hope some of our L.A. Rams fans are there.”
–The Rams still don’t know if tight end Tyler Higbee (sprained knee) or offensive lineman Joe Noteboom (chest) will be available Sunday.
McVay said neither player participated in Wednesday’s walkthrough and that nothing has changed — good or bad — per either player’s chances of playing in the Super Bowl.
McVay said the Rams will practice at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Thursday due to high winds at the team’s practice site at Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The Rose Bowl is located about 45 miles east of Thousand Oaks.
–Field Level Media