More Minnesota Vikings Coaching Tweaks

Every offseason brings changes to the coaching staffs across the NFL. Those changes range from overhauls to tweaks. The Minnesota Vikings are going through tweaks to their roster of coaches. The most impactful potential change was one that didn’t happen. Every offseason after he arrived in 2023, defensive coordinator Brian Flores deserved a head coaching opportunity. This was the third offseason that he was denied one of those opportunities. Remarkably, he only interviewed for two of this year’s ten head coach vacancies. The stupidity of the rest of the league is the Vikings gain. Flores continues as the team’s defensive coordinator. His new deal to remain in Minnesota reportedly makes him the highest paid assistant coach in the league. It’s deserving as he’s been outstanding. 

Brian Flores stays in Minnesota but seven coaches, so far, have departed.

Assistant Head Coach Mike Pettine - retired

Defensive Backs/Pass Game Coordinator Daronte Jones - swiped by Washington Commanders

Safeties Coach Michael Hutchings - swiped by Cal

Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper - contract expired/hired by Philadelphia Eagles

Defensive Line Coach Marcus Dixon - contract expired/hired by Dallas Cowboys 

Tight Ends/Pass Game Coordinator Brian Angelichio - swiped by Pittsburgh Steelers

Assistant Receivers Coach Tony Sorrentino - swiped by Arizona Cardinals

A couple weeks ago, the Vikings announced the hiring of three coaches:

Frank Smith - Assistant Head Coach

Gerald Alexander - Secondary/Pass Game Coordinator

Ryan Nielsen - Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator

The Vikings also promoted assistant offensive line coach Keith Carter to replace Chris Kuper as offensive line coach. Over the days since those announcements, teams with new head coaches have raided the Vikings coaching staff. Mike McCarthy swiped Brian Angelichio to be the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike LaFleur swiped Tony Sorrentino to be the receivers coach of the Arizona Cardinals. To replace Angelichio as tight ends coach/pass game coordinator, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell promoted Ryan Cordell. For all of O’Connell’s four years Cordell has been the game management coordinator/pass game specialist. In that role, he’s prepared the team for games with his weekly “situational masters” meetings. 

With seven departures, so far, the Vikings are slowly moving past just coaching tweaks this offseason. Seven coaches is about a quarter of the entire staff. There have been three external hires in Frank Smith, Gerald Alexander, and Ryan Nielsen. Keith Carter and Ryan Cordell were promoted. Those promotions filled a vacancy but created another. They also might need someone to take up Cordell’s varied and nebulous roles. One coach currently on the staff that intrigues for that job is defensive quality control coach Chenzo Funari. With an aeronautical engineering degree from Ohio State, he’s literally a rocket scientist. He’s very much on the analytics side of football with a mind for game strategy. With seven departures and only three outside additions, simple math says that the Vikings still need four coaches. Assistants are definitely needed on the offensive line, at receiver, and in the secondary. Offensive line and the secondary are two of the largest position groups on the team. Receiver isn’t far behind. Keith Carter, Gerald Alexander, and Keenan McCardell could use some help. 

Hopefully, the Vikings aren’t further raided by the 31 parasitic teams in the league. 

For now, here is the current coaching staff of the Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Frank Smith

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Brian Flores

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

Quarterbacks: Josh McCown

Assistant Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Quarterbacks: Jordan Traylor

Senior Offensive Assistant: Chris O’Hara

Running Backs/Run Game Coordinator: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers: Tony Sorrentino

Tight Ends/Pass Game Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Offensive Line: Keith Carter

Assistant Offensive Line: ?

Pass Game Specialist/Game Management Coordinator: ?

Quality Control: Derron Montgomery

Offensive Assistant: Ben Ellefson

Assistant to the Head Coach: Henry Schneider IV

Defense:

Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator: Ryan Nielsen

Assistant Defensive Line: Imarjae Albury Sr.

Outside Linebackers: Thad Bogardus

Assistant Outside Linebackers: Patrick Hill

Inside Linebackers: Mike Siravo 

Defensive Backs/Pass Game Coordinator: Gerald Alexander

Defensive Backs Assistant: ?

Defensive Quality Control: Chenzo Funari

Defensive Assistant: Charlie Frye

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: Dalmin Gibson