Minnesota Vikings 2020 Coaching Staff

The Minnesota Vikings announced some changes and additions to their coaching staff yesterday. It was reported last week that Gary Kubiak would be the offensive coordinator. The Vikings made that move official yesterday. Coaching changes on the offensive side of the ball have been unfortunately routine in Mike Zimmer's six years as head coach. It's been the opposite among the defensive coaches. The Vikings have seen nothing but coaching stability on the defensive side of the ball. This year will be different. George Edwards had been Zimmer's defensive coordinator for all six years. His contract wasn't renewed and has moved on to the Dallas Cowboys. Jerry Gray has been the defensive backs coach for the same duration. He won't be back. Jeff Howard had assisted Gray the last two seasons and been with the team since 2013. He won't be back either. To replace Edwards, Zimmer made the somewhat unusual move of promoting defensive line coach Andre Patterson and linebackers coach Adam Zimmer to co-defensive coordinator. Zimmer's defense is the Vikings defense. The Vikings defense is Zimmer's defense. Edwards was defensive coordinator in name only. Zimmer is the architect of the defense and play-caller. Perhaps one day, he'll pass the play-calling duties to another coach. Unless that day comes this season I don't think that the Vikings defense will operate any differently with co-defensive coordinators. Also, having Patterson and Zimmer as co-defensive coordinators will allow each to continue coaching their respective positions. The Vikings hired Daronte Jones to replace Jerry Gray. Jones coached defensive backs for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2018-19 and the Miami Dolphins from 2016-17. He had several college stops and a year in the CFL before jumping to the NFL in 2016. 

The Vikings maintained offensive continuity by replacing 2019 offensive coordinator Kevin Stafanski with Kubiak. That continuity didn't mean that there wasn't some juggling of the offensive coaches. Receivers coach Drew Petzing left to join Stefanski's staff in Cleveland. Assistant offensive line coach Andrew Janocko was promoted to a position group of his own. He replaces Petzing as the receivers coach. The Vikings hired Phil Rauscher to replace Janocko as assistant offensive line coach. Rauscher was the assistant offensive line coach of the Washington Redskins from 2018-19. When the Redskins fired Jay Gruden during the 2019 season and offensive line coach Bill Callahan was named interim head coach, Rauscher was named interim offensive line coach for the final 11 games of the season. Perhaps more significantly, Rauscher worked with Kubiak in Denver from 2015-17. 

Unless the Vikings hire a coach to assist Daronte Jones with the defensive backs the 2020 coaching staff might be complete. 

Minnesota Vikings 2020 Coaches

Head Coach: Mike Zimmer

Offensive Coaches: 
Offensive Coordinator: Gary Kubiak
Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator: Rick Dennison
Quarterbacks: Klint Kubiak
Running Backs: Kennedy Polamalu
Wide Receivers: Andrew Janocko
Tight Ends: Brian Pariani
Assistant Offensive Line: Phil Rauscher
Offensive Quality Control: Christian Jones
Offensive Quality Control: AC Patterson

Defensive Coaches:
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line: Andre Patterson
Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers: Adam Zimmer
Defensive Backs: Daronte Jones
Assistant Defensive Line: Robert Rodriguez
Defensive Quality Control: Nick Rallis

Special Teams Coaches:
Special Teams Coordinator: Marwan Maalouf
Assistant Special Teams: Ryan Ficken

Strength and Conditioning:
Head Strength and Conditioning: Mark Uyeyama
Assistant Strength and Conditioning: Derik Keyes
Assistant Strength and Conditioning: Chaz Mahle