Steelers Reportedly Ready to Poach Vikings Coach
Brian Flores, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, didn’t get a seat in the coaching carousel and will remain with the franchise. Several other coaches on the staff, however, have gone elsewhere for various reasons. Vikings tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio is reportedly set to join the new staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly broke the news on social media, “SOURCE: Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Brian Angelichio is close to agreeing on a deal that would make him the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It could be official as early as Wednesday.”
Rumblings surfaced on Monday, but the deal now appears close.
The Steelers also interviewed Brian Flores earlier in their head coaching search after longtime coach Mike Tomlin stepped down. Ultimately, Pittsburgh hired veteran Mike McCarthy instead of going with a younger candidate.
McCarthy and Angelichio have history, as he was Green Bay’s tight ends coach under head coach McCarthy from 2016-2018.
For Angelichio, the move will be a significant promotion once official, but he won’t call plays, as head coach McCarthy has already confirmed that he will take the reins.
The 53-year-old arrived in the Twin Cities as a member of Kevin O’Connell’s original staff in 2022 and has remained in the same role for four years. He has coached tight ends for two decades across college and six NFL stops, but that chapter of his career now appears to be coming to an end. Minnesota’s assistant also worked at the University of Pittsburgh from 2006 to 2010, so the move sends him back to familiar ground.
In Minnesota, he worked with Irv Smith for one year, but the Vikings were seeking an upgrade in 2022 and acquired T.J. Hockenson. The former 8th overall pick had a fantastic second half of his first Vikings season after joining from the division rivals Lions. Then, he was on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards in 2023, but a nasty tackle late in the season knocked him out for the remainder of the year.
Since then, his numbers haven’t been the same, but one can hardly blame coaching for that injury. The other major piece in the tight end room has been Josh Oliver, whom Angelichio coached for three seasons. He has been one of the elite blockers at his position.
The Vikings have already replaced several coaches, including offensive line coach Chris Kuper. On defense, Daronte Jones, DB coach and defensive passing game coordinator, as well as DL coach Marcus Dixon, went elsewhere. Mike Pettine, assistant head coach, retired. The club has already filled those four openings.
As there’s no assistant tight ends coach on the staff, the Vikings would either have to hire an external candidate or reshuffle responsibilities internally. His role as the offensive passing game coordinator would also be vacant.
Losing Angelichio would quietly sting more than people think. Minnesota’s tight end room has consistently been one of the offense’s strengths, particularly in the run game, where Josh Oliver developed into one of the league’s better blocking specialists.
Replacing both the position coach and passing game coordinator responsibilities won’t be as simple as plugging in a new face, especially because he’s one of O’Connell’s most trusted assistants. O’Connell and Angelichio crossed paths in Cleveland in 2015 as well as in Washington in 2019.