MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their hiring of Kevin O'Connell to be the team’s head coach.
The 36-year-old offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams replaces Mike Zimmer and becomes the 10th head coach in Vikings history.
O'Connell is the fourth former assistant under Rams head coach Sean McVay to become an NFL head coach himself. The others are Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers, Brandon Staley of the Los Angeles Chargers, and Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals.
O'Connell, a Carlsbad native who attended La Costa Canyon High School, started 33 games for San Diego State before being drafted in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
