Kevin O'Connell earlier this week and then we will react to
what he had to say. On the other side. Here's O'Connell
talking about cousins taking charge of the offense.
You know, obviously in the new system,
somebody's got to take charge out there and,
and for us, that's Kirk and obviously, he's sitting front
and center, and every meeting. He's asking questions, both in
the quarterback room in front of the unit. He was one of
the guys that I mentioned in the team meeting yesterday,
speaking up, and, and kind of really getting involved
and from everything I'm hearing about what's going on in
the grass with Josh and Tyler's group out there. He's been
great leading the charge. They're throwing routes.
They're doing different things that were teaching in
the classroom
and I think the the phase one is really kind of setup for
somebody like Kirk to kind of take the reins and run with it.
And then
the best thing is we get to start being out there with them
next week.
How different is it to have a head coach? Who talks about
Kirk like that in comparison to the way Mike. Zimmer used to
talk about Kirk.
Well, I mean it with Mike it was kind of a jold, you know,
and and Mike, you know, Mike is and or was a throwback to like
Bill Parcells and stuff like that. So I
mean getting a fuse of Praise out of Mike really about anybody.
I mean it was really hard to do and I did a radio show with him
weekly during the season for a years.
It's different. It's it's
it's new age in that
when I say New Age, the importance
of and this is good. Okay, I'm not you know making it sound
all touchy-feely or anything. This generally speaking is
good. Just
having a just, just really concern or care for
the totality of the human being and and and just talking about life
and doing things like that. And and Kevin and the staff are
really good at that. And
you know, maybe the Us
preview said, coach wasn't great at that. But
Mike, don't forget back in 2017 was them,
you know, we, we go to Washington and be cousins and,
and we're kind of killing them
and then case throws back-to-back interceptions. And
at least one of them went for a pick six. They both might have
gone to the end zone. So, now, all of a sudden Washington's in
the game, we eventually win the game
and I mean Keenum has been our quarterback. Now half
the season after Bradford got hurt, you know, and Ted. He's on
the mend and Bradford's on the mend and
My kind of Monday press conference. We're playing st. Louis
the next week and that's mcveigh's St. Louis, Rams
kingdoms former team as of 2016 and Mike would not commit to
case playing quarterback in that game and man. It just
bugged a lot of people. So, you know, I think that kind of
daggers what you're saying about the difference between
the two
with way C and Kevin,
they just, there's a collaboration between those
two. It's a collaboration of kindness
where they're just opening their eyes and In their minds
to a lot of different things about these players and their
lives and this era in this generation and pandemic or post
pandemic. However, you want to look at it
and that's great. And and it's it's it's galvanizing but we
haven't played any games. So let you know when we start
playing these games and and it gets a little hot, you know,
that that's what I'm excited
to see what happens and how people react
cousins had the Vikings, over the contractual Barrel. Earlier
this year. He was signed for one more season. In cap number
of 45 million salary, fully guaranteed of 35. He eventually
did a one-year extension, which created some flexibility,
but it doesn't answer any long-term questions. Then he
says he wants to retire a viking. I don't know that I buy
it because his contract doesn't scream out retire as a viking.
How do you see this playing out between cousins in the team,
coming up this year and next year and maybe Beyond.
Well, it's a fascinating topic, you know, and then on the radio
show to spite me you absolutely. In me
as a cross between Harry Caray and Bob, Uecker is a homer.
I will go down the road of I am a fan
of the Minnesota Vikings drafting a quarterback higher
than people. Think knowing he's not going to play and and if
Kirk doesn't dig it, Kirk doesn't dig it. But Kirk has
the sledgehammer right now. And,
and that's okay because Kirk's the top 10 quarterback in
the NFL of your really want to break it down and and having
somebody like Kirk is somebody with whom you can win a lot of
games. But
Just has been no flexibility behind him, mannion comes in
and that Packers game last year and it was a disaster with all
due respect to Sean because he doesn't get any wraps. Then you
get you know, everybody's - on K Monde from the previous
regime.
I just you know, I heard so many times. He can't play can't
play can't play as so much so that it offended me, but I'm
not going to argue with them because he's coaches know
a thousand times more about it than I'll ever know
but it's tough for me to believe
you can look at Cal and Monde and say,
hey, he's Out there, running the scalp team, never throw
into JJ, never handing off to Dalvin, and he's not even
running the plays and he can't play, you know,
meanwhile, when we're on the road. He's on my bus when we go
to the stadium and we had assigned seat, so he would sit
like right in front of me
and he'd be into his tablet. Just memorizing and writing and
taking tests and a store, the kids trying hard. So, you know,
when Casey was higher because you're dope, immense of the GM.
One of the first things I said 9:00 to noon was the a topic.
Me is figuring out of Kalamata can play
because, you know, there are members of the previous regime
of didn't think he could play, and
but you don't do a Texas A & M what he did if you just have no
skills. So I'm curious to see how that works in
the offseason, but Kirk holds the sledgehammer here with
the negotiating and
and you know, at times it can put the team in a weird spot.
Doesn't why you said about Kellen? Mondo, when the front
office makes him a third-round pick members of the coach. And
staff constantly say he can't play. Doesn't that speak to
a level of dysfunction that helps explain why
the wolf's decided to hit the reset button. They did a good
job of hiding, the dysfunction until things really got hectic
last year. And I think there was a lot of infighting, one
guy blaming the other guy front office, blaming the coaching
staff and vice versa, but I was surprised
to learn how much acrimony there was. But the Mond
situation seems to be the perfect example of it on
the roster where the front office, clearly thought a lot of him
and the
Coaching staff, clearly didn't and the coaching staff wasn't
bashful about saying what they thought was the right thing to
say.
Well, having done this, as long as I have
and knowing a lot of people around the league who either
used to work here. I've just met him, like, through
the combine or whatever that, you know, it's hey, why don't you?
We can block the quarterback if you draft me
an effing offensive lineman.
Okay, so that happens a lot
and it's happened. I've just heard And it known about it for
many, many years calling games. So that that's it's almost
flipping. It's almost just throw it away. It's elevator
music. It's just people voicing frustration.
I think same thing with the K situation. It's like,
you know, I wouldn't take it as he can't play
as an absolute condemnation on the young man's career. I just
think it had, it was born of a lot of frustration when I would
hear it,
but you know, they also would realize that he wasn't getting
ample. Unity because of his role on the team when it comes
to dysfunction within the franchise,
you know, being as close to it as I am.
Again, I mean, whether it's, you know, whether it's Zim or
Leslie, Frazier, or Chile, or Mike Tyson, you just see and
hear a lot of things where I've learned over the years that you
can't take 92% of them
as Gridiron gospel.
A lot of, it's born of exultation. A lot of it is born
of frustration, you know, but I I just with K, there was just
a level of frustration that I just didn't really understand
when he wasn't really getting a chance.
But then again, they know a thousand times more about it
than I ever will. The majority. If not, all of them are gone.
And now you have a former quarterback taken in the third
round as your head coach,
you have bums grandkid as your offensive coordinator,
the work, they the work McVeigh did with Jared Goff to get them to
the Super Bowl in 2017. Granted. None of these guys
were around, but
They're from that tree
and that tree of being able to work through conflict like
that. And
I'm just really curious to see where it goes with Kelvin and
where it goes with Kirk and where JJ's cash goes with what
like Tyreke and Devonte are getting and stuff like that. So
yeah, we're in a were in very interesting times your with
Minnesota Vikings football, but they do have the advantage of
unpredictability on their side,
you know, and you and I chatted about this Wednesday on my
radio show. Oh, in the cornfields with you know, we
have a run a 34 base defense here in 40 years.
So they're going to have a 34 base defense with some new
players and the offense. If you look at the Rams offense, they
don't really use a fullback. We have one of the best full-backs
in
the NFL here and see J, Hamm
herb, Smith jr. He's supposed to be a really good tight end,
but he's coming off a really big injury, KJ Osbourne,
splashed last year and was Dynamic, but the first year,
his first year,
he didn't catch a pass. So this is kind of not a maker.
Break, the rubber meets the road year for him.
Adam thielen is definitely in the second half of his career.
So the offense is dead set to be really, really good
specifically with that tackles tandem. Am
I mean, darussalam is some games last year,
but, you know, he came. He came into the season hurt. O'Neill
is either the or one of the very best, right? Tackles in
the NFL. So now when you have to
tackle tandem like that,
that's a legitimate. Legitimate building block to do some
damage and you got an offensive minded. Coach is going to come
in here with new ideas. I'm really, really excited for it.