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Kevin O'Connell (American football)
Encyclopedia
Kevin William O'Connell (born May 25, 1985) is an American football
quarterback
for the New York Jets
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New England Patriots
in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at San Diego State
.
O'Connell has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
and Miami Dolphins
.
, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School
. At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. As a senior, he was named his Team's Most Valuable Player, and selected to All-League, All-North County, and All-San Diego teams. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger
. O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003.
in December 2007 with a degree in political science
. At SDSU, where he was a four-year team captain, he started 21 games, the sixth-most among SDSU quarterbacks, and ranked first in school history in career rushing yards and second in career rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks; in 2007 he led the team in rushing yards. Passing, he ranked tenth in yardage, eighth in attempts, and seventh in completions.
O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl
and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game
. He was the Kai team quarterback in the 2008 Hula Bowl, where he led the offense and was one of the Kai team's only bright spots. He was 11-of-21 for 147 yards, and completed the pass which resulted in the Kai's only score of the game.
At the 2008 NFL Combine
, O'Connell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds; only University of San Diego
quarterback Josh Johnson
had a faster time.
selected O'Connell with their third pick (94th overall) of the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
, the highest pick the Patriots have used on a quarterback
since they drafted Drew Bledsoe
first overall in 1993
.
O'Connell rushed for a touchdown in the 2008 preseason against the New York Giants
in the fourth quarter, in a game the Patriots eventually lost 19-14. He made his NFL debut on September 21, 2008 in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins
, throwing his first four career passes and completing three.
O'Connell was waived by the Patriots on August 30, 2009, two days after a preseason game in which starting quarterback Tom Brady
was injured, and, in the second half, O'Connell threw two interceptions and only threw 3 completions on 10 attempts. The Patriots gave no explanation for releasing O'Connell, who was in competition with veteran quarterback Andrew Walter
, signed after his release from the Oakland Raiders
, and undrafted free agent rookie Brian Hoyer
of Michigan State
.
on September 1, 2009. He was traded on September 6.
, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009.
He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.
On August 31, 2010, New York would release O'Connell. Following his departure, O'Connell found that had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. The injury will require surgery.
Following his release, the New York Jets
re-signed O'Connell to a two year deal. He has been placed on the injured reserve list. He was later released again on July 29, 2011.
, but was waived on September 3.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at San Diego State
San Diego State Aztecs football
The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of...
.
O'Connell has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
The son of a former FBI agent, O'Connell spent his childhood years in Carlsbad, CaliforniaCarlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
, where he attended La Costa Canyon High School
La Costa Canyon High School
La Costa Canyon High School is one of the high schools in the San Dieguito Union High School District. Located on 88 acres in south Carlsbad in northwest San Diego County, La Costa Canyon opened in September, 1996. The students attending La Costa Canyon live in Encinitas and south Carlsbad...
. At La Costa Canyon, O'Connell lettered in both football and basketball. In football, as a junior, he passed for 980 yards and seven touchdowns. As a senior, he was named his Team's Most Valuable Player, and selected to All-League, All-North County, and All-San Diego teams. In basketball, he was a two-year letterman, and a teammate of Arizona standout Chase Budinger
Chase Budinger
Chase Andrew Budinger is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
. O'Connell graduated from La Costa Canyon in 2003.
College career
O'Connell graduated from San Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
in December 2007 with a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
. At SDSU, where he was a four-year team captain, he started 21 games, the sixth-most among SDSU quarterbacks, and ranked first in school history in career rushing yards and second in career rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks; in 2007 he led the team in rushing yards. Passing, he ranked tenth in yardage, eighth in attempts, and seventh in completions.
O'Connell played in both the 2008 Hula Bowl
Hula Bowl
The Hula Bowl was an independently administered post-season invitational college football game held each year in Hawaii from 1947 to 2008. The game was last played at Aloha Stadium in the Hālawa district of Honolulu, Hawaii. At one point the longest-running sporting event in Hawaii, it had been...
and the 2008 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
. He was the Kai team quarterback in the 2008 Hula Bowl, where he led the offense and was one of the Kai team's only bright spots. He was 11-of-21 for 147 yards, and completed the pass which resulted in the Kai's only score of the game.
Pre-draft
Just prior to being drafted, San Diego sports writer Nick Canepa described O'Connell as having:At the 2008 NFL Combine
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
, O'Connell ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds; only University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
quarterback Josh Johnson
Josh Johnson (American football)
Josh Johnson is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He played college football quarterback for the University of San Diego Toreros. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
had a faster time.
New England Patriots
The New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
selected O'Connell with their third pick (94th overall) of the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, the highest pick the Patriots have used on a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
since they drafted Drew Bledsoe
Drew Bledsoe
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, best known as the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots from 1993-2001. During the 1990s, he was considered the face of the Patriots franchise...
first overall in 1993
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
.
O'Connell rushed for a touchdown in the 2008 preseason against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth quarter, in a game the Patriots eventually lost 19-14. He made his NFL debut on September 21, 2008 in the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, throwing his first four career passes and completing three.
O'Connell was waived by the Patriots on August 30, 2009, two days after a preseason game in which starting quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
was injured, and, in the second half, O'Connell threw two interceptions and only threw 3 completions on 10 attempts. The Patriots gave no explanation for releasing O'Connell, who was in competition with veteran quarterback Andrew Walter
Andrew Walter
Andrew Scott Walter is a former American football quarterback in National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft after playing college football at Arizona State....
, signed after his release from the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and undrafted free agent rookie Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
of Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
.
Detroit Lions
O'Connell was claimed off waivers by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on September 1, 2009. He was traded on September 6.
New York Jets
The Lions traded O'Connell to the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, for a 7th round 2011 draft pick, on September 6, 2009.
He was named a team captain for the September 20 game against the New England Patriots.
On August 31, 2010, New York would release O'Connell. Following his departure, O'Connell found that had a torn labrum in his throwing arm, an injury he sustained during the preseason. The injury will require surgery.
Following his release, the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
re-signed O'Connell to a two year deal. He has been placed on the injured reserve list. He was later released again on July 29, 2011.
Miami Dolphins
On August 5, 2011, O'Connell signed with the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but was waived on September 3.