Many were disappointed to see O’Connell go, after it was rumored that he and the Washington Redskins were likely to stick together. O’Connell ultimately wanted to have some familiarity with the people on his staff, and that’s something he wouldn’t find in D.C., now that Ron Rivera has essentially moved his former Panthers staff north.
Predictably, O’Connell was replaced by Scott Turner, who was quarterbacks coach for the Carolina Panthers under Ron Rivera and offensive coordinator during the latter part of the 2019 season, after Rivera’s firing. He was also one of Rivera’s initial hires in 2011, assuming the role of offensive quality control coach from 2011 to 2012.