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Vikings Seem to Want a Change of Pace on Offense with New Coaching Hire
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- Vikings Seem to Want a Change of Pace on Offense with New Coaching Hire
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
On Friday, the Minnesota Vikings made a shocking decision to relieve Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of his duties as general manager.
The move was shocking not necessarily because of Adofo-Mensah's resume, particularly in the NFL Draft, but because of the timing of the move, which came on January 30 — nearly a month after the Vikings' season ended.
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Now, the Vikings have continued to make some shifts in their leadership as reports came out that the team has made a new coaching hires on Saturday, which could signal a significant shift in Minnesota 's approach on offense.
Vikings Make a New Coaching Hire
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The initial report came from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who tweeted , "#Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell continues to remodel his staff, adding former # Dolphins OC Frank Smith as assistant head coach and Keith Carter as offensive line coach, per me and TomPelissero. Smith worked with Mike McDaniel and will help with the offense and run game planning."
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Smith has extensive experience coaching in the NFL, serving various roles for the past 16 years. As Rapoport states, he was most recently the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins .
Throughout Kevin O'Connell's head coaching tenure, Minnesota has struggled mightily in the running game, and this hire may signal a real desire to change that.
The highlight of Smith's offensive coordinator tenure came in 2023 when the Dolphins went 11-6 and ranked second in points per game (29.2). The Vikings have not ranked higher than eighth in points per game (24.9) since Kevin O'Connell took over as head coach.
Nov 2, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany; Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith (left) and coach Mike McDaniel during practice at the PSD Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
That season saw the Dolphins rank first in the NFL with 5.1 yards per carry, sixth in total rushing yards with 1650 (despite only running the ball the 15th-most times in the league), and first in rushing touchdowns, including a league-leading 18 from a 31-year-old Raheem Mostert .
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The Dolphins also ranked fourth in yards per rushing attempt this season at 4.7. The Vikings have never ranked higher than 11th in that category during O'Connell's tenure, which happened to come during the 2025 season.
Smith, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native, began his NFL coaching career with the New Orleans Saints in 2010 as an assistant offensive line coach. He also held the roles of tight ends coach with the Chicago Bears from 2014-2017 and the Las Vegas Raiders from 2018-2020.
Oct 30, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith stands on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
He then became the running game coordinator and offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. That 2021 season saw Austin Ekeler lead the NFL in rushing/receiving touchdowns with 20, nearly doubling his career high of 11.
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The move to bring in Smith as assistant head coach comes after Mike Pettine, who previously held that role, retired earlier this month. Pettine's background almost exclusively came on the defensive side of the ball, but now, the Vikings are bringing in a coach who has proven experience in successful rushing offenses.
If we think about the move for a moment, it makes a ton of sense for the Vikings, especially if they were to stick with J.J. McCarthy at the quarterback position. If we think back to the critiques of the Michigan product heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the main one that sticks out is "game manager."
The Michigan Wolverines had a bruising running game during McCarthy's tenure at quarterback, but that also brought with it some great success for the program, including a national championship in 2023. An improved running game in 2026 will be crucial for the Vikings getting back into playoff contention, and the Smith hire seems like a real attempt to bring in an assistant coach who can do exactly that.
Editor's Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
