“One of the things that probably made me feel so prepared for this job,” O’Connell said, “was his willingness to allow me to be a part of things that maybe at other places offensive coordinators aren’t a part of. I got to see a lot, learn a lot, ask a lot of questions – probably one too many for his liking.”
He added: “I think the process of that organization, the culture, the people, the player ownership-led kind of driving force which went behind that bar being raised during my time there to eventually winning the last game we got to play together at SoFi in the Super Bowl was a culmination of a lot of things.”
Things that O’Connell has emphasized in his first 40 games leading the Vikings: namely a roster overhaul loaded with smart, tough players who love football, and a commitment to the process over the progress.
Two Rams who displayed those intangibles daily during O’Connell’s stint in L.A. are quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp; the latter is set to play Thursday for the first time since Sept. 15.
Their connection in 2021 produced the first Triple Crown season by a receiver (Kupp led the league with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards receiving and 16 touchdown catches) since Steve Smith, Sr., in 2005.
Awesomely, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson delivered Kupp-esque production during his first year playing in O’Connell’s system, pacing the NFL in the first two categories (128 catches; 1,809 yards receiving) en route to Offensive Player of the Year accolades, which Kupp claimed in 2021.
When the Rams veteran duo is healthy, they’re still flaunting chemistry.
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