A Vikings Coaching Change Is Coming
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell declined to comment on staff changes in his season-ending press conference this week, but the club will make some adjustments after all. On Saturday, several reports confirmed that offensive line coach Chris Kuper will not be retained for a fifth season with the Vikings.
Kuper, 43, was an experienced NFL offensive lineman in his own right, playing in 90 games with the Denver Broncos between 2006 and 2013. After his retirement, he spent one season as the OL coach at Columbine High School, followed by a one-year stint as the offensive assistant quality control coach with the Dolphins.
In 2017, the franchise promoted him to assistant OL coach. When Brian Flores was hired as the head coach in 2019, Kuper was not retained and instead left for the same role in Denver, where he remained through the 2021 season. Kuper was part of Kevin O’Connell’s first Vikings staff in 2022.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote about the change, “Kuper, 43, has been with the team since 2022. He was hired by O’Connell as the team’s offensive line coach after O’Connell accepted the head coach role. Kuper has remained in his role for four seasons, but his contract expired days after the end of the season, and he will not return for 2026, the team said in a statement released to reporters.”
The Vikings had an eventful season along the offensive line. First, they made massive changes in the offseason, replacing former high draft picks Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram, as well as sending Blake Brandel to the bench. The entire interior OL was switched out. Center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries came over from the Indianapolis Colts, while rookie Donovan Jackson completed the new trio.
Unfortunately, three separate concussions limited Kelly to only eight games. Jackson and tackles Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw were also sidelined in 2025, leaving only Fries available for all 17 games. The offensive line carousel became a significant problem, forcing Kuper to deploy 25 different combinations over the course of the season.
Injuries aside, the Vikings allocated heavy resources to the offensive line over the last decade with subpar results. Player development has consistently lagged expectations, while several departing linemen have gone on to perform well elsewhere.
Lewis added, “Another layer of this decision is the success that former Vikings offensive linemen are having elsewhere. Former center Garrett Bradbury has performed admirably this season with the New England Patriots. Former guard Ed Ingram has held his own with the Houston Texans. Even former guard Ezra Cleveland produced consistently with the Jacksonville Jaguars, as did former guard Dalton Risner with the Cincinnati Bengals.”
Kelly’s future is in question, but the other four starters are highly likely to return in their 2025 roles. At center, if Kelly doesn’t wear the purple uniform for a second season, the Vikings could turn to Blake Brandel or Michael Jurgens, or acquire a replacement in the offseason.
Kuper’s exit marks the second meaningful staff change this offseason. Assistant head coach and OLB coach Mike Pettine has retired, O’Connell announced this week.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores and defensive pass-game coordinator Daronte Jones have interviewed for openings elsewhere. The Minnesota Vikings coaching staff could look a lot different a month from now.
Offensive line coach now becomes another key offseason priority.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.