Keenan McCardell Pumped to Show Off Play Calling Chops at NFL Pro Bowl Games

Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach, Keenan McCardell, will serve as the offensive coordinator for the NFC team in the upcoming 2024 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando. The longtime Jaguars star will call plays for the flag football on February 4.

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While this event may seem fun and casual, it holds significant value for McCardell, who sees it as a big opportunity for his coaching future. Reports have surfaced recently, regarding McCardell’s imminent ambitions to call plays as an offensive coordinator, and he has his eyes set on eventually becoming a head coach.

Keenan McCardell sees Pro Bowl Games as great opportunity

Given who will be around that weekend, both from a player, coach and executive standpoint, the Pro Bowl Games present Keenan an incredibly opportunity to network and show off his football knowledge to people who matter. For good reason, the Vikings position coach sees this as a pivotal opportunity for his career, going forward.

“It will be good to get out in front of the best of the best of the league… Just show your skill set can you call plays and get guys the ball? It’s fun and I understand it’s an exhibition for those guys. I understand where their attention span is. I just know as it comes down to the end of the game, those competitive spirits get firing, you’ve got to be ready to call the right stuff for them. I just want to get a chance to show I can call plays.”

Keenan McCardell – via NFL.com

If McCardell has it his way, he will have an ‘offensive coordinator’ title and the responsibility of calling plays for an NFL offense. A promotion in Minnesota makes sense, especially after current OC Wes Phillips got into DWI trouble at the end of last season.

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But unlike other OC positions, head coach Kevin O’Connell isn’t going to let him call plays. Thus, McCardell may explore other opportunities and choose to take his talents elsewhere, should a play-calling opportunity arise. At the Pro Bowl Games, McCardell will get a small chance to prove what he can do with a play sheet, but more so his creativity and how he connects with superstar players.

Wes Welker Alongside McCardell

For the first time ever, the Pro Bowl Games will feature former NFL players, turned position coaches, serving as offensive coordinators. Former Patriot great, Wes Welker, now the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins, takes on the role for the AFC team.

“Being around different people and different ways of doing things, different techniques, especially at the Pro Bowl, you’re around a lot of really good players, picking stuff up from them, maybe they ask a question…It’s people that have spent their whole lives doing this and perfecting their techniques. Any time you’re around people at the top of their game, it’s helpful.”

Wes Welker – via NFL.com

Both McCardell and Welker, former Pro Bowl players in their own rights, now find themselves embarking on a new challenge together, and against each one another, as coaches in the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games.