It’s out with the old and in with the new for a Minnesota Vikings team that has barely scratched the surface of their true capabilities. But the team is definitely grinding and scratching right now under the tutelage of first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell.
Veteran wideout Adam Thielen would be the first to attest to it.
There was already an elevated level of excitement when it was announced that the former offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams had landed the job in Minnesota. And yet, that excitement has grown ever since the team threw on the cleats and started running plays on the practice field.
When speaking with FOX 9 Sports Now, Thielen admitted to feeling a sense of rejuvenation with this year’s team.
The ninth-year receiver said, “When you hear about the news [O’Connell being named head coach], you kind of look back at the track record and you look back at what [the Rams] did, and you’re excited, right? But then you get in here, you start learning the system and you start getting on the field—really, when you get on the field and you start running through stuff, you’re like man, this is fun. This is exciting.
“When I talk about a breath of fresh air and kind of rejuvenation, it’s because when you get out here, it’s like stuff makes sense and it’s exciting.”
The Rams felt a sense of rejuvenation as well when a relatively unknown and young offensive coordinator took over as the head coach back in 2017.
That coach was Sean McVay, who went on to lead the team to four playoff appearances, two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl.
And now, the Vikings have a young, up-and-coming offensive guru from the same coaching tree to lead them into the future. It’s a major shift in direction for a team that hasn’t sniffed the postseason in the last three years.
They’re now looking towards the winds of change to hopefully break that cycle.
