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Former Vikings Coaches Closing in on Head Jobs?
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- Former Vikings Coaches Closing in on Head Jobs?
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL Playoffs begin today. That means we will have a Super Bowl Final Four in just a couple of days. Unfortunately, the 9-8 Minnesota Vikings didn't even make the Final Fourteen.
For the second time in Kevin O'Connell's four-year tenure as head coach, the Vikings missed the NFL Playoffs all together. So now, the organization will have to regroup and look forward to 2026 .
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Minnesota hopes to return the top of last year's coaching staff. KOC's job hasn't been in serious danger, since he took it four years ago, and unlike the last couple offseasons, nobody is really sniffing around the offensive assistants.
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Former MN Vikings assistant Grant Udinski (right) speaking with head coach Kevin O'Connell (left) – Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Meanwhile, we're all watching the situation with Brian Flores, who is out flirting with multiple teams who have openings at head coach and defensive coordinator. His DL coach, Daronte Jones, is also a hot defensive coordinator candidate.
That doesn't mean the Vikings have no offensive coaching talent floating around the 2026 coaching carousel, though. They are just FORMER Vikings coaches. Two, actually. One from this era and one from the three that came before it.
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Former MN Vikings assistant Kevin Stefanski gets second HC interview with Falcons
The 'hey, I know that guy' NFL news cycle Saturday morning began out in Atlanta , where the Falcons are bringing in former Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, Kevin Stefanski, for a second round of interviews to be their next head coach.
The 43-year-old Stefanski was recently fired after six seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns . He completed his first interview in Atlanta on January 11, and appears to be the first Falcons HC candidate to receive a second interview.
Stefanski started his NFL coaching career back in 2006, as assistant to Minnesota Vikings newly hired head coach at the time, Brad Childress. Three years later (2009), when Brett Favre arrived, he was promoted to assistant QB coach (2009-2013).
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After five years helping with quarterbacks, Mike Zimmer was hired as Vikings head coach. That's when Stefanski got his first NFL position coach opportunity, a promotion to Vikings tight ends coach (2014-15).
Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings — David Berding-Imagn Images
He then coached running backs for a year (2016), before going back to the QB room as quarterbacks coach from 2017-2018, when he was promoted to interim offensive coordinator, a job he locked in full-time for 2019, before the Browns came calling in 2020.
Former MN Vikings assistant Grant Udinski's interview with Browns official
The other former Minnesota Vikings assistant coach getting a head coaching opportunity today is Grant Udinski, who had a very similar path to young coaching stardom, as Stefanski.
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Even more odd, the 30-year-old Jaguars OC is trying to take Stefanski's old job, in Cleveland. News of his interview first broke early this week , but the Browns made it official today.
We're interviewing Grant Udinski for our head coach opening
📰 Read more: https://t.co/YsFAHacBp7 pic.twitter.com/6CDpZzWvkm— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 17, 2026
Unlike Stefanski, Grant Udinski did not get his NFL start with the Vikings. Instead, he spent his first two pro coaching seasons as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers (2020-21).
But just like the other former Vikings assistant featured in this article, Udinski came to Minnesota as an assistant to the head coach — in 2022 — under newly hired Kevin O'Connell. For that one season, Udinski and KOC were inseparable.
Udinski may be most interesting coaching candidate in carousel
Grant sat in on every day-to-day task Kevin took part in, essentially learning second-hand exactly what it takes to be a head coach in the NFL. And if he lands the Browns job, his time following KOC around TCO Performance Center will undoubtedly serve him well.
A lot of folks have asked "how could a 30 year old OC who has never called plays possibly be ready for a HC gig?".
Listen to how Grant Udinski describes his role in MIN under Kevin O'Connell (via #NFL Spotlight w @MySportsUpdate )
That's why #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/V04WjTfsVW— CLEology (@_CLEology) January 16, 2026
Udinski's rise through the Minnesota Vikings coaching ranks happened way faster than Stefanksi's. He spent just one season walking in the footsteps of Kevin O'Connell, before he was promoted to assistant QB coach.
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One year later, he added assistant offensive coordinator to his growing list of titles. Then last offseason, he was plucked by the Jacksonville Jaguars, as their new offensive coordinator.
Related: New MN Vikings DC Candidate Emerges
In Florida, Udinski helped new head coach Liam Coen turn the Jaguars offense around in one season, and even make the playoffs. But to this point, the young offensive genius has never called plays in the league.
Obviously, KOC called them here. During his one season with the Jags, Coen called plays. Still, one year after he left Minnesota, the Vikings' offense fell apart. Coincidence…? We may never know.
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