Video of Kevin O’Connell Being Ruthlessly Cut by Well-Known Former Jets GM

Before Kevin O’Connell became one of the best up-and-coming head coaches in the NFL, he was a washout 2008 2nd round draft pick who failed over and over again to make a roster, out of multiple different training camps.

In three years, from August 2009 to August 2012, KOC was signed, cut or traded 11 different times, by 5 different teams (Patriots, Jets, Dolphins, Chargers, Lions). But from what we know, only one of those moments was caught on video.

That time Kevin O’Connell was cut by the New York Jets on Hard Knocks

On August 31, 2010, O’Connell was called in by then New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Now, Tannenbaum is an NFL in-studio analyst for ESPN shows like Get Up and SportsCenter. In his prime, though, he was one of the most well-known and ballyhooed front office leaders in the league.

That day, his conversation with a 25-year-old Kevin O’Connell was short and… not so sweet. The entire conversation lasted only 30 seconds. It was caught on camera by HBO’s Hard Knocks , which was in its 6th season, at that time.

Mike Tannenbaum’s cold approach helped shape KOC, the coach

In most scenarios, firings or break-ups are best served cold and clean. Trying to sugarcoat conversations like that only make the situation worse. In a professional environment, when everyone knows the cut-throat nature of the job, less is usually more. And without a doubt, watching this video back, that was Mike’s policy back in 2010.

Nobody will call Kevin O’Connell’s playing career “disappointing” faster than he will. Looking back now, KOC knows that his brain just did not process the live playing field fast enough for him to play at the NFL level.

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But going through that three-year NFL speed-dating carousel, full of cold moments like what you see above, helped mold our head coach into the leader he is, now. If you want to know why Kevin bases his coaching style on empathy and gratitude.

Why he constantly pushes back on the old school “football guy” coach methodology, it’s in part because of everything he went through, as a player.

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