The Minnesota Vikings are set to interview Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles, Rams OC Kevin O’Connell, and Rams DC Raheem Morris all on Friday for their head-coaching job, per Chad Graff.
Adam Schefter reports that the meeting between Morris and the Vikings will take place on Sunday night ahead of the Rams playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here’s the list of candidates for the Vikings job:
- Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett (Interviewed)
- Cowboys DC Dan Quinn (Interviewed)
- Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon (Interviewed)
- Cowboys OC Kellen Moore (Interviewed)
- 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans (Interviewed)
- Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles (Scheduled)
- Rams OC Kevin O’Connell (Scheduled)
- Rams DC Raheem Morris (Scheduled)
Bowles, 58, began his NFL coaching career with the Packers back in 1995 as a player personnel staff member before working for a number of teams including the Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles, and Cardinals.
The Jets hired Bowles as their head coach for the 2015 season and signed him to an extension last through 2020 last year. However, he was fired following the 2018 season.
From there, the Buccaneers hired him as their defensive coordinator in 2019.
During his four years as Jets’ head coach, Bowles led the team to a record of 24-40 (37.4 percent) and no playoff appearances.
Morris, 45, began coaching at Hofstra as a graduate assistant back in 1998. He later took his first NFL coaching job with the Buccaneers as their defensive quality control coach and managed to work his way up to head coach in 2009.
The Buccaneers fired Morris after three seasons. He spent a few years with Washington before the Falcons hired him as their assistant head coach/DBs coach in 2015. After being let go with the rest of the coaching staff in 2020, he was hired by the Rams as their defensive coordinator.
As the Buccaneers head coach, Morris led the team to a record of 17-31 (35.4 percent) over the course of three seasons. In 2020, Morris led the Falcons to a 4-7 record after taking over for Dan Quinn midseason.
O’Connell, 36, is a former third-round pick of the Patriots back in 2008. After five years in the NFL, O’Connell was hired by the Browns as their quarterbacks’ coach in 2015.
O’Connell spent one year with the 49ers before Washington hired him as their quarterbacks’ coach in 2017. He was promoted to passing game coordinator in 2019 and joined the Rams as offensive coordinator in 2020.
In 2021, the Rams’ offense ranks No. 9 in total yards, No. 7 in total points, No. 25 in rushing yards and No. 5 in passing offense.
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