Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook address coaching change for Vikings

Despite being a part of this season’s Super Bowl festivities, the Los Angeles Rams’ current offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell has reportedly already made plans to join the Minnesota Vikings as their next head coach.

Two of the Vikings’ biggest offensive stars have weighed in on their feelings about the coaching change.

“I’ve been watching the Rams’ offense for a minute now,’’ Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson said. “They get their playmakers the ball. They have some tremendous plays, Cooper Kupp wide open all the time. So I’m excited for it. This is my first head coach that’s going to be on the offensive side instead of the defensive side, so I’m happy.”

Star running back Dalvin Cook expressed his thoughts on the new era in Minnesota.

“[O’Connell] was with Kirk [Cousins] in Washington, so Kirk has been kind of telling me, ‘Great guy to be around. Full of energy. Going to bring the energy,’” Cook told NFL Network. “So I’m just looking forward to it. It’s a new opportunity, new era, new energy, so we got to take advantage of it. … We got a new head man, we got a new GM, so we just got to put the right people around us, and we just got to go get it.”

Jefferson, who is in his second season in the NFL, was named to his second Pro Bowl. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time he actually gets to participate in the actual game after it was cancelled last season.

“I’ve just been having fun out there,’’ Jefferson told NFL Network. “Everybody’s just been having fun out here. It feels good to be out here for my second Pro Bowl, but first appearance.”

Jefferson had 108 receptions for 1,616 yards in 2021, falling just short of Randy Moss’ team record of 1,632 yards in a season. He said in his interview, “I still didn’t beat the record yet, so next year the goal is to beat the record.’’ 

Cook was the only Minnesota player named a starter for Sunday’s game. Cook missed several games in 2021 due to separate ankle and shoulder injuries, not to mention a stint on the COVID-19 reserve list. Despite this, he rushed for 1,159 yards and six touchdowns in 13 games.

“To be at a Pro Bowl is a blessing for me to have the year I had with the ups and downs I had,’’ Cook said.

O’Connell will take over operations as soon as his duties with the Rams come to an end, which will be at Super Bowl 56 next Sunday. Whether he’ll be bringing a ring with him to Minnesota from Los Angeles remains to be seen.