January 9, 2025 • 12 mins
Minnesota Tim discusses the upcoming playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams, focusing on the activation of quarterback Daniel Jones and the implications for the team's strategy. He delves into Kevin O'Connell's press conference tactics, highlighting his ability to maintain secrecy and avoid giving clear answers about the team's quarterback situation. The conversation explores the dynamics of the backup quarterback role and the speculation surrounding the team's decisions as they prepare for the game.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
The Minnesota Vikings matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams is now.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Just a few days away.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Whether that will be in Los Angeles or Arizona, we
have yet to find out, but most likely it will
be Arizona.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And Kevin O'Connell took to the podium.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
On Thursday afternoon in front of a crew of reporters
and was asked several questions of course, leading up to
this playoff game, about Sam Darnold and about the team
and how they're preparing and.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
The YadA YadA, YadA, blah blah blah, and he has
asked a very interesting.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Question about a certain quarterback on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
Because here's the deal with Daniel Jones. The Minnesota Vikings
were able to sign him to their practice squad when
the New York Giants released him, and in order to
(01:08):
get the full advantage of having Daniel Jones on the roster,
the Minnesota Vikings needed to activate him because if he
leaves this off season, then the Minnesota Vikings get a
compensatory pick for the NFL Draft. And that's a good thing.
(01:30):
You got a guy in a roster if he leaves,
you would get a pick. If he stays, he's your
backup quarterback. It's kind of a win win either way.
So the Minnesota Vikings activated Daniel Jones after the Minnesota
Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions, which makes things very
(01:51):
interesting because one would most likely argue that Daniel Jones
was activated for the.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
For the draft pick.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
But Daniel Jones could potentially step in if Sam Donald
puts together a performance like he did against the Detroit Lions. Now,
Donald just played his worst game of the season, and
he's coming off of a season where he threw thirty
five touchdowns and twelve picks, So the likelihood that he
(02:27):
gets benched has to be near zero percent.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
But is there a point in time.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
That Kevin O'Connell would bench Sam Donald if through the
first two and a half quarters of football, Donald is
playing the exact same way as he was versus the
Detroit Lions.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I mean, how do you not seriously consider it.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Especially because Daniel Jones has playoff experience. So here's the
quote by Kevin O'Connell during the Minnesota Vikings press conference.
And this is an article on ESPN dot com written
by Kevin Seffert. He writes or the quote Jones definitely
(03:15):
has progressed. O'Connell said, he's gotten a little sorry, he's
got a lot of really good work in both the
running scout team works and then just extra work here
and there when he can with quarterbacks coach Josh McCown
and Nick and Brett Rippon as well. The best way
I can put it is we're doing everything we can
(03:37):
to get Sam ready to go. But at the same time,
whether it's Nick or Daniel or Brett, having all of
those guys absorbing the game plan like always, it's such
a fluid thing here. The rest of the way, we
are going to do whatever we think gives us the
best chance to win. So those are some interesting comments
(04:00):
because Kevin O'Connell is not admitting really anything, which is
classic Minnesota Vikings press conference. The Minnesota Vikings head coach
and general manager are podium assassins. They give the reporters
(04:20):
nothing but something. At the same time, he didn't come
out and admit that Daniel Jones was the third emergency quarterback.
He didn't come out and admit that Daniel Jones was
the backup quarterback. What Cavin O'Connell did is he left
room open for speculation and rumors and intriguing pieces written
(04:43):
all over the internet on where Daniel Jones will be
as this Los Angeles Rams game approaches, and Kevin O'Connell
was asked a second time a follow up question to
his original comment, hoping that there would be some explanation
(05:04):
or elaboration by Kevin O'Connell, and he says, again, we're
gonna do whatever it takes to give us the best
chance to win here the rest of the way. Now,
the comments about Brett Rippin, he's on the practice squad.
But the one thing that Kevin O'Connell may note of,
(05:25):
he said, it's such a fluid thing here the rest
of the way. That's something that's not nothing. However, Kevin
O'Connell did not come out and admit that Daniel Jones
is going to be the backup versus the Los Angeles Rams,
although that is going to be what happens. Nick Mullins
(05:47):
is not going to be the backup to Sam Donald
if Sam Donald goes out there, gets hurt or is
a complete bum through two and a half three quarters
of this football game, Kevin O'Connell keeps things close to
the chest. This guy wouldn't admit that two plus two
(06:09):
is four. This guy wouldn't admit that mosquitoes bite. This
guy wouldn't admit that ed Don Intel is a terrible
defensive coordinator. And that's why the Minnesota Vikings fired him.
You know, you ask him any of those questions and
he'd be like, yeah, you know two, it's by two
(06:29):
might go far, but you know there might be a
different language or a different country that believes something else.
So you know, I'm open to different possibilities. You ask
him about mosquitos, and Kevin O'Connell's gonna come out and say,
you know what, you know, they're just trying to survive
and make a living off of people.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
An occasional bite happens, but you know, we got to
deal with it.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It's not too bad.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And the last one he'd come out and say, you
know what, our players just probably didn't fit the scheme
of ed Don Intel. And it's not that he's a
bad defensive coordinator. It's not even the reason why we
fired him, and it just wasn't a good fit. The chemistry.
The guy won't admit anything. He is the best at
silencing everybody and he's a.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Professional podium speaker.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
He knows how to get the press conference done without
having any quotable moments. Kevin O'Connell is one of the
most unquotable head coaches I think the Minnesota Vikings have
ever had in their organization because he gives you nothing.
(07:35):
But you look at this quote, and you look at
Daniel Jones, and you think about where he would rank
as quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, and he's way better,
more talented than Nick Mullins. He's won a playoff game
against Kevin O'Connell and the Minnesota Vikings. Now, i'd go
(07:57):
as far to say that Kevin O'Connell's comments are even
a little foolish, because now, he's not a foolish guy,
but these comments are a little foolish because if you
name Daniel Jones as the backup quarterback to Sam Darnald
(08:18):
entering this football game, it's not like the Los Angeles
Rams are preparing for Daniel Jones.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
It's not like the other team.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Is going to take a day or a half a
day to think about what Daniel Jones is going to
provide the Minnesota Vikings in case an injury happens to
Sam Darnald or he just plays bad. The Rams have
more important things to deal with. So why is Kevin
O'Connell keeping this thing so close to its chest? Why
(08:46):
is it such a secret on who is going to
be the backup quarterback? The quote that really kills me
and this whole thing is the best way I can
put it is we're doing everything we can do to
get Sam urated to go. But at the same time,
whether it's Nick or Daniel or Brett, he just names
all his quarterbacks, having all those guys absorbing the game
(09:08):
plan like always, It's like, what does that have to
do with anything?
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Brett Rippin? Come on, he's on the practice squad. What
does Brett Rippin have to do with things?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
He just dates every single quarterback on the roster and
talks about the game plan and he just.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Gold and circles round and round and round we go.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And I, in all honesty, which this podcast was honest
hundred percent of the time, this is what I want
my head coach to be. I don't want my head
coach going out there and making quota balls for the
other team or making players bitter, because that's really what
he's doing.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
He's protecting Nick.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Mullins and Daniel Jones in this instance and saying, you
know what, we're gonna do whatever gives us the best
chance to win, and closer to the game day, if
he hasn't already, he will tell the players where they
stand on the depth chart. So that's probably it's not
probably always doing it. That is what he's doing. Kevin
O'Connell's protecting the feelings the sensitivity of the NFL players
(10:07):
inside the locker room.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
But as a fan, as.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
A podcast tell us, as someone that talks about the
Minnesota Vikings all the time, daily, weekly, like give us
a little something, give us something to bite on, and
come on, give us a little something to chew on.
And what was so interesting following Kevin O'Connell's comments is
(10:34):
that he had a little smirk.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
On his face.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I watched the video and Kevin O'Connell as he.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Was responding to the follow up question.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
By Kevin Seafford asking for a further explanation to his
reasoning on you know, we'll do whatever gives us the
best chance to win, blah blah blah blah blah, he
gave a little smirk on the side of his face
and if you have not seen that, I suggest you
do so. Kevin O'Connell, podium assassin, does what he does by.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Not sharing a single item.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Classic classic Kevin o'coll You want to admit that snow
is white, or that has called a Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I know the temperature goes down, but called is.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Whatever called is all opinionated based on who thinks.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Whatever whatever whatever have it.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Man, Kevin O'Connell, brilliant, Heed coach, brilliant at the podium.
A man just gives you nothing but something at the
same time. And it's like those comments be nothing, but
there's a lot of speculation.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
There's a lot of sidetracks that you could go with
those comments.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
So they're almost better than actually saying that Daniel Jones
is the backup quarterback because a lot of us for speculations. Anyways,
going off the rails here, thank you for watching this episode.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Thank you for making this podcast a part of your day.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I appreciate you all. Thanks for going on this journey
with me, and we'll talk this soon, very very soon.
The Minnesota Vikings matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams is now.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Just a few days away.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Whether that will be in Los Angeles or Arizona, we
have yet to find out, but most likely it will
be Arizona.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And Kevin O'Connell took to the podium.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
On Thursday afternoon in front of a crew of reporters
and was asked several questions of course, leading up to
this playoff game, about Sam Darnold and about the team
and how they're preparing and.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
The YadA YadA, YadA, blah blah blah, and he has
asked a very interesting.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Question about a certain quarterback on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
Because here's the deal with Daniel Jones. The Minnesota Vikings
were able to sign him to their practice squad when
the New York Giants released him, and in order to
(01:08):
get the full advantage of having Daniel Jones on the roster,
the Minnesota Vikings needed to activate him because if he
leaves this off season, then the Minnesota Vikings get a
compensatory pick for the NFL Draft. And that's a good thing.
(01:30):
You got a guy in a roster if he leaves,
you would get a pick. If he stays, he's your
backup quarterback. It's kind of a win win either way.
So the Minnesota Vikings activated Daniel Jones after the Minnesota
Vikings lost to the Detroit Lions, which makes things very
(01:51):
interesting because one would most likely argue that Daniel Jones
was activated for the.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
For the draft pick.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
But Daniel Jones could potentially step in if Sam Donald
puts together a performance like he did against the Detroit Lions. Now,
Donald just played his worst game of the season, and
he's coming off of a season where he threw thirty
five touchdowns and twelve picks, So the likelihood that he
(02:27):
gets benched has to be near zero percent.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
But is there a point in time.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
That Kevin O'Connell would bench Sam Donald if through the
first two and a half quarters of football, Donald is
playing the exact same way as he was versus the
Detroit Lions.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I mean, how do you not seriously consider it.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Especially because Daniel Jones has playoff experience. So here's the
quote by Kevin O'Connell during the Minnesota Vikings press conference.
And this is an article on ESPN dot com written
by Kevin Seffert. He writes or the quote Jones definitely
(03:15):
has progressed. O'Connell said, he's gotten a little sorry, he's
got a lot of really good work in both the
running scout team works and then just extra work here
and there when he can with quarterbacks coach Josh McCown
and Nick and Brett Rippon as well. The best way
I can put it is we're doing everything we can
(03:37):
to get Sam ready to go. But at the same time,
whether it's Nick or Daniel or Brett, having all of
those guys absorbing the game plan like always, it's such
a fluid thing here. The rest of the way, we
are going to do whatever we think gives us the
best chance to win. So those are some interesting comments
(04:00):
because Kevin O'Connell is not admitting really anything, which is
classic Minnesota Vikings press conference. The Minnesota Vikings head coach
and general manager are podium assassins. They give the reporters
(04:20):
nothing but something. At the same time, he didn't come
out and admit that Daniel Jones was the third emergency quarterback.
He didn't come out and admit that Daniel Jones was
the backup quarterback. What Cavin O'Connell did is he left
room open for speculation and rumors and intriguing pieces written
(04:43):
all over the internet on where Daniel Jones will be
as this Los Angeles Rams game approaches, and Kevin O'Connell
was asked a second time a follow up question to
his original comment, hoping that there would be some explanation
(05:04):
or elaboration by Kevin O'Connell, and he says, again, we're
gonna do whatever it takes to give us the best
chance to win here the rest of the way. Now,
the comments about Brett Rippin, he's on the practice squad.
But the one thing that Kevin O'Connell may note of,
(05:25):
he said, it's such a fluid thing here the rest
of the way. That's something that's not nothing. However, Kevin
O'Connell did not come out and admit that Daniel Jones
is going to be the backup versus the Los Angeles Rams,
although that is going to be what happens. Nick Mullins
(05:47):
is not going to be the backup to Sam Donald
if Sam Donald goes out there, gets hurt or is
a complete bum through two and a half three quarters
of this football game, Kevin O'Connell keeps things close to
the chest. This guy wouldn't admit that two plus two
(06:09):
is four. This guy wouldn't admit that mosquitoes bite. This
guy wouldn't admit that ed Don Intel is a terrible
defensive coordinator. And that's why the Minnesota Vikings fired him.
You know, you ask him any of those questions and
he'd be like, yeah, you know two, it's by two
(06:29):
might go far, but you know there might be a
different language or a different country that believes something else.
So you know, I'm open to different possibilities. You ask
him about mosquitos, and Kevin O'Connell's gonna come out and say,
you know what, you know, they're just trying to survive
and make a living off of people.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
An occasional bite happens, but you know, we got to
deal with it.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It's not too bad.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
And the last one he'd come out and say, you
know what, our players just probably didn't fit the scheme
of ed Don Intel. And it's not that he's a
bad defensive coordinator. It's not even the reason why we
fired him, and it just wasn't a good fit. The chemistry.
The guy won't admit anything. He is the best at
silencing everybody and he's a.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Professional podium speaker.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
He knows how to get the press conference done without
having any quotable moments. Kevin O'Connell is one of the
most unquotable head coaches I think the Minnesota Vikings have
ever had in their organization because he gives you nothing.
(07:35):
But you look at this quote, and you look at
Daniel Jones, and you think about where he would rank
as quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, and he's way better,
more talented than Nick Mullins. He's won a playoff game
against Kevin O'Connell and the Minnesota Vikings. Now, i'd go
(07:57):
as far to say that Kevin O'Connell's comments are even
a little foolish, because now, he's not a foolish guy,
but these comments are a little foolish because if you
name Daniel Jones as the backup quarterback to Sam Darnald
(08:18):
entering this football game, it's not like the Los Angeles
Rams are preparing for Daniel Jones.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
It's not like the other team.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Is going to take a day or a half a
day to think about what Daniel Jones is going to
provide the Minnesota Vikings in case an injury happens to
Sam Darnald or he just plays bad. The Rams have
more important things to deal with. So why is Kevin
O'Connell keeping this thing so close to its chest? Why
(08:46):
is it such a secret on who is going to
be the backup quarterback? The quote that really kills me
and this whole thing is the best way I can
put it is we're doing everything we can do to
get Sam urated to go. But at the same time,
whether it's Nick or Daniel or Brett, he just names
all his quarterbacks, having all those guys absorbing the game
(09:08):
plan like always, It's like, what does that have to
do with anything?
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Brett Rippin? Come on, he's on the practice squad. What
does Brett Rippin have to do with things?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
He just dates every single quarterback on the roster and
talks about the game plan and he just.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Gold and circles round and round and round we go.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
And I, in all honesty, which this podcast was honest
hundred percent of the time, this is what I want
my head coach to be. I don't want my head
coach going out there and making quota balls for the
other team or making players bitter, because that's really what
he's doing.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
He's protecting Nick.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Mullins and Daniel Jones in this instance and saying, you
know what, we're gonna do whatever gives us the best
chance to win, and closer to the game day, if
he hasn't already, he will tell the players where they
stand on the depth chart. So that's probably it's not
probably always doing it. That is what he's doing. Kevin
O'Connell's protecting the feelings the sensitivity of the NFL players
(10:07):
inside the locker room.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
But as a fan, as.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
A podcast tell us, as someone that talks about the
Minnesota Vikings all the time, daily, weekly, like give us
a little something, give us something to bite on, and
come on, give us a little something to chew on.
And what was so interesting following Kevin O'Connell's comments is
(10:34):
that he had a little smirk.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
On his face.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I watched the video and Kevin O'Connell as he.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Was responding to the follow up question.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
By Kevin Seafford asking for a further explanation to his
reasoning on you know, we'll do whatever gives us the
best chance to win, blah blah blah blah blah, he
gave a little smirk on the side of his face
and if you have not seen that, I suggest you
do so. Kevin O'Connell, podium assassin, does what he does by.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Not sharing a single item.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Classic classic Kevin o'coll You want to admit that snow
is white, or that has called a Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I know the temperature goes down, but called is.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Whatever called is all opinionated based on who thinks.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Whatever whatever whatever have it.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Man, Kevin O'Connell, brilliant, Heed coach, brilliant at the podium.
A man just gives you nothing but something at the
same time. And it's like those comments be nothing, but
there's a lot of speculation.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
There's a lot of sidetracks that you could go with
those comments.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
So they're almost better than actually saying that Daniel Jones
is the backup quarterback because a lot of us for speculations. Anyways,
going off the rails here, thank you for watching this episode.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Thank you for making this podcast a part of your day.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I appreciate you all. Thanks for going on this journey
with me, and we'll talk this soon, very very soon.
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