For the first time in Justin Jefferson‘s career, he’ll have an offensive-minded head coach calling the shots.
The Minnesota Vikings‘ plan to hire Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as the team’s new head coach has left the two-time Pro Bowl receiver giddy, recently airing his excitement over the O’Connell on NFL Network.
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‘They Get Their Playmakers the Ball’
Jefferson appeared on the NFL Network during the Pro Bowl festivities in Las Vegas and let his excitement for the upcoming season show.
“I’ve been watching the Rams offense for a minute now,” Jefferson told NFL Network from the Pro Bowl. “They get their playmakers the ball. They have some tremendous plays, Cooper Kupp wide open all the time. So I’m excited for it. This is my first head coach that’s going to be on the offensive side instead of the defensive side, so I’m happy.”
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Justin Jefferson on new Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell: “I have been watching the Rams offense for a minute now, they get their playmakers the ball. This is my first head coach that’s gonna be on the offensive side instead of the defensive side, so I’m happy.”
Dalvin Cook, also a 2022 Pro Bowl honoree, shared insight that Kirk Cousins gave him on O’Connell. Cousins spent the 2017 season in Washington with O’Connell, who was the quarterbacks coach at the time.
“(O’Connell) was with Kirk in Washington so Kirk has been kind of telling me, ‘Great guy to be around. Full of energy. Going to bring the energy,’ “Cook told NFL Network. “So I’m just looking forward to it. It’s a new opportunity, new era, new energy, so we got to take advantage of it. … We got a new head man, we got a new GM, so we just got to put the right people around us and we just got to go get it.”
Jefferson Could See Kupp-Like Heights Under O’Connell
Cooper Kupp’s prolific 2022 season didn’t happen overnight. A third-round prospect, Kupp was deemed just a slot receiver at the time but has proven to be one of the NFL’s best weapons after the catch.
Sound familiar?
Jefferson, drafted No. 21 overall and the fifth wide receiver taken off the 2020 draft board, was seen as only a slot weapon whose abilities as a deep ball receiver may not translate to the NFL. He’s proven that assessment moot, leading the NFL in completed air yards 2021.
Jefferson’s quick-twitched and slippery running style makes him a threat at any spot on the line of scrimmage. He should be the central focus of the Vikings offense moving forward, just as Kupp has been in 2022.
Kupp was the triple-crown winner among receivers this season, leading the league in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and receiving touchdowns (16) in the regular season. Kupp was a productive receiver before the 2021 season but had never made a Pro Bowl in his first four seasons. Kupp was given the green light in 2021, seeing an average of 11.2 targets per game. He also never saw fewer than seven targets in a single game.
Jefferson has outproduced for his target share in the Vikings offense. He finished with the second-most receiving yards (1,616), fourth-most receptions (108) while seeing the fourth-most targets (167). He also has ranked in the top-10 in yards after catch in the past two seasons.
But there’s even more potential for the 21-year-old receiver who seemingly disappeared from the Vikings’ game plan in several games this season.
If O’Connell can take a similar approach to get Jefferson the ball like the Rams did with Kupp, the sky is the limit Jefferson and the Vikings offense that features arguably better talent at each skill position.
And before the O’Connell detractors call out that he doesn’t have a play-calling resume, his play designs are deeply embedded in the Rams playbook.
Perhaps of note to fans of the Minnesota Vikings?
Sean McVay’s reaction to Cooper Kupp’s first TD in the NFC Championship: Enthusiastic credit to O.C. Kevin O’Connell for the play call.
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Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Sounds off on New Head Coach Hire