For the first time since 2017, Sean McVay will have an offensive coordinator. The Rams are hiring Kevin O’Connell to take over that role next season, effectively replacing co-coordinators Shane Waldron and Aaron Kromer.
This is a major change for McVay and the staff, though it’s likely one that doesn’t come with the head coach giving up playcalling duties.
O’Connell, 34, was most recently the Redskins’ offensive coordinator, and has been a coach in the NFL since 2015. Here are four things to know about him as he joins the Rams.
He joined Redskins when McVay left
O’Connell was hired by Jay Gruden and the Redskins in 2017 to take over as their quarterbacks coach. That same offseason, McVay left to become head coach of the Rams, so they never worked on the same staff.
O’Connell worked his way up the ranks fairly quickly, though. He became the pass game coordinator in 2018 and was promoted to offensive coordinator this past season. During his time in Washington, he worked with quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Colt McCoy, Case Keenum and Dwayne Haskins.
He is a former third-round pick at QB
O’Connell is a former quarterback, himself. He came into the NFL as a third-round pick by the Patriots in 2008, which at the time was the earliest the Patriots had drafted a quarterback since Tom Brady took over.
O’Connell only played two games in his career, never making a single start. He bounced around the league for a few years, but his only game action came in 2008 with New England. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 23 yards and one first down.
Coincidentally, he’s the second former Patriots draftee to join the Rams’ staff, along with Zac Robinson last year.
He doesn’t have much playcalling experience
O’Connell only took over as the offensive play caller after Gruden was fired by the Redskins after five games last season. Under interim head coach Bill Callahan, the Redskins would become a more run-heavy offense, which jived with O’Connell’s style.
Here’s some background on O’Connell, via The Athletic.
O’Connell believes in establishing the running game and being a run-first offense. He and Callahan see eye to eye on that particular aspect. What’s different is O’Connell’s belief in using a quick game, with play-action passes and passing more on first down, to get his quarterbacks comfortable and into a rhythm.
The Redskins went 3-8 in their final 11 games with O’Connell as the play caller, with the offense not improving until after their Week 10 bye. Haskins did his best work with O’Connell at the controls, which is encouraging.
Has primarily worked with QBs at NFL level
O’Connell’s coaching background goes back to the position he played in college: quarterback. He got his start with the Browns in 2015 as their quarterbacks coach, working with the likes of Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown. He then became an offensive assistant with the 49ers in 2016 before joining the Redskins in 2017 as their quarterbacks coach.
The 49ers offense ranked 27th in points scored in 2016, but that was hardly due to poor quarterback play. Colin Kaepernick threw 16 touchdown passes and only four interceptions that year, going 1-10 as a starter.
O’Connell clearly knows a lot about the quarterback position, having been around it his entire career. Hopefully that will help get Jared Goff back to the way he played in 2018.
