Just as one former quarterback drafted by Bill Belichick is retiring, another is reportedly close to being hired as a head coach.
Kevin O'Connell, whom the New England Patriots selected in the third round (94th overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft, is set to become head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, according to NFL Media.
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O'Connell, 36, has been offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams the last two seasons following a one-year stint in the same position in Washington. He'll replace Mike Zimmer, who was fired after going 72-56-1 over eight seasons in Minnesota.
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Drafted the same year as stalwarts Jerod Mayo and Matthew Slater, O'Connell attempted only six passes in the NFL, all in 2008, while Matt Cassel shined in relief of the injured Tom Brady.
When Brady returned in 2009, the Patriots had traded Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs, but O'Connell was beaten out for the backup job by undrafted rookie Brian Hoyer. He'd go on to bounce around the practice squads and make training camp appearances for the Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers, but never again threw a pass in a regular season game.
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O'Connell will be the third former player Belichick has coached to become head coach of an NFL team, following Mike Vrabel, who just finished his fourth year with the Tennessee Titans, and Kliff Kingsbury, a sixth-round draft pick in 2003 who has been with the Arizona Cardinals since 2019.
No word on if O'Connell thus counts as a branch on the Belichick coaching tree.