Vikings Benefit From the Strange Coaching Carousel
The Minnesota Vikings went 14-3 in a season with minimal expectations. While the roster was underrated, it undoubtedly was not a roster that should win 14 games with a chance to clinch the top seed in the NFC until the very last game of the season. The coaching staff deserves a ton of credit for the 2024 campaign.
Vikings Benefit From the Strange Coaching Carousel
Usually, teams with a successful season like that lose half their coaching staff. Just take a look at the Detroit Lions, who have said goodbye to seven of their coaches, including the duo of play-callers Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, who were hired to become head coaches.
In addition to that, a handful of position and assistant coaches departed, too. Of course, other franchises want to inherit part of the culture that has made the Lions thrive. Another team that is used to replacing members of the coaching staff because they get promotions is the Rams. Everyone who has some sort of connection to Sean McVay is automatically an intriguing candidate for job openings around the league.
Back to the Vikings. The purple team employs head coach Kevin O’Connell, who is a young, charismatic offensive mind in the mold of McVay. O’Connell’s team has come close to Detroit’s success in the regular season, and both got bounced immediately in the playoffs.
So why is nobody getting a promotion?
It all started with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Vikings fans have been paranoid about losing their defensive play-caller ever since he stepped foot into the building. After an up-and-down season in 2023 with insufficient personnel, he elevated an improved unit into elite territory in all relevant metrics and statistics.
He interviewed for three head coaching positions, and only the other franchises know why they didn’t give the defensive mastermind with head coaching experience a chance to convince them.
Of course, the pending lawsuit against the NFL scares some owners away (although hiring someone who filed a discrimination lawsuit only helps an owner’s case), and the history with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is a legitimate concern, but he surely deserves a chance to tell his side of the story.
But it doesn’t stop there. Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips hasn’t gotten any buzz for head coaching opportunities. He is the right-hand man for a great offensive head coach and has a family history, which always helps in the NFL. His father and grandfather were NFL head coaches. The rebuttal might be that he doesn’t call plays, but neither did O’Connell in Los Angeles.
Even the assistant coaches have missed out. QB coach Josh McCown interviewed for a head coaching gig but, for some reason, doesn’t want to make the transition to offensive coordinator.
Assistant QB coach and assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is a fast riser, having already interviewed for five OC jobs. So far, however, J.J. McCarthy’s mentor hasn’t landed one of those openings.
He is the only candidate to leave the Vikings at this point, having a chance to become Jacksonville’s OC.
Defensive backs coach Daronte Jones has interviewed for DC jobs in the last couple of years without any success. And wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell hasn’t gotten the opportunity to become an offensive coordinator.
It’s unusual to retain the entire coaching staff after a 14-3 season, but the Vikings might pull it off. That continuity will be a significant asset in the 2025 season. The coaching staff will be finalized within the next few weeks.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt