As the end of the season, and yet another year of missing out on the playoffs, fast approaches in Washington, some eyes are starting to shift down the line to an eventual coaching hire.
While Bill Callahan has been running the show as the interim head coach after Jay Gruden’s Week 5 departure, many believe that there is another man in the Redskins organization who might eventually be named as the leading man, if not at least strongly considered for the position.
Offensive Coordinator Kevin O’Connell is definitely a strong and suitable candidate for the job, and some players in Washington believe that he would be a great fit. In a recent report from The Athletic, running back Chris Thompson was asked about the prospect of O’Connell, a man who has been dubbed one of the new offensive geniuses in the NFL, taking over as HC in Washington.
“I think he’ll be a great coach in this league,” Thompson said.
After an underwhelming NFL career passed him by, O’Connell has quickly risen to obtain the responsibility of play-calling duties with the Redskins, and many in the organization have compared him to the likes of Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan, former assistants with Washington who have gone on to become outstanding offensive-minded head coaches.
“I see some comparisons. All those things I saw in Sean — The energy, the leadership, the motivation — I see in Kevin,” Thompson said. “Guys respond well to Kev. He’s a younger guy. He’s played in the league and hasn’t been out that long. He relates, he understands guys, and I think they enjoy that as well.”
Of course, none of this matters if the Redskins choose to look elsewhere in the league for their next hire, which will be their seventh full-time coaching hire under owner Daniel Snyder since 2001.
