Kevin O’Connell labels Aaron Rodgers ‘special’ as Minnesota Vikings coach recalls college playing days in California
MINNESOTA Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell knows how talented Aaron Rodgers is more than most in the league.
O’Connell, 39, has faced the future Hall of Fame quarterback before when he played for the Green Bay Packers.
But he also remembers Rodgers from his own playing days as a quarterback growing up in California.
O’Connell is a year younger than Rodgers – who his Vikings team will face when they take on the New York Jets in London on Sunday.
He played quarterback in high school in Carlsbad, California and for San Diego State in college.
O’Connell was selected in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft and played in the league for four years.
Rodgers, meanwhile, grew up in Chico, California and played for the University of California before being drafted in 2005.
“He’s still playing and I’m 10 years into a coaching career – so you can figure that one out,” O’Connell laughed as he spoke to The Sun at the Minnesota Vikings’ team facility last month.
“I’ve really known Aaron going back to when we both lived in San Diego when I was playing.
“He’s such a special player, maybe one of the smartest, most aware players in our whole league.”
O’Connell faced Rodgers twice in his debut season as Vikings head coach in 2022 when he was quarterback at Green Bay.
The Vikings and Packers split that series 1-1.
Rodgers left Green Bay for the New York Jets after the 2022 season but tore his Achilles just four plays into 2023.
Minnesota travels to London this week with a perfect 4-0 record, while the Jets have stuttered to 2-2.
O’Connell is banking on the experience of going up against Rodgers in 2022 to help the Vikings to victory in London.
“There’s such a familiarity from his time in Green Bay,” the coach said.
“Whether it’s called the same formationally or who’s catching it, it’s going to be a lot of principles that he’s made come to life for many, many years.
London calling
The New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings will kick off the NFL's annual run of London fixtures this weekend.
New York and Minnesota will clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday October 6 at 2.30pm local time – 9.30am ET for fans back home in America.
It will be the first of three straight NFL Sundays that begin with an early game live from London.
The following week, Tottenham also plays host to the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Chicago Bears.
And on October 20, the Jags will head across town to Wembley Stadium to take on the New England Patriots.
“So I think you can take something out of that and then be able to evaluate the first four weeks of the season and have a comprehensive plan.
“You’ve got to know that if you try to sub when you shouldn’t or you try to do something that catches his eye, he’s going to take advantage of it.
“There’s a lot of ways he’s going to figure out something on the fly.
“And then on top of it, he’s one of the greatest pure throwers of the football of all time.”
O’Connell led the Vikings to a dramatic victory over the New Orleans Saints in London two years ago.
That same year, Rodgers and his Packers were stunned by the New York Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“It was my first year as a head coach,” O’Connell recalled.
“Really I didn’t know what to expect, but then you actually get there and you realise just how much of a special experience it is.
“I’m a huge fan of these London games.
“I’ll never forget the juice in the stadium that you feel, regardless of who the home team or away team is.
“I think it’s really cool for our game and for the league to make our special game a little bit more known worldwide.”