DAILY CLIPS TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019
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DAILY CLIPS TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019
LOCAL NEWS: Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Pioneer Press
Vikings hire veteran coach Gary Kubiak as offensive advisor
By Dane Mizutani
https://www.twincities.com/2019/01/14/mn-vikings-gary-kubiak-kevin-stefanski-denver-broncos/
Star Tribune
Super Bowl winner Gary Kubiak joins Mike Zimmer's Vikings staff
By Andrew Krammer and Mark Craig
http://www.startribune.com/super-bowl-winner-gary-kubiak-joins-mike-zimmer-s-vikings-staff/504340972/
Vikings.com
5 Things to Know About New Vikings Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Advisor Gary Kubiak
By Eric Smith
https://www.vikings.com/news/minnesota-vikings-gary-kubiak-5-things-to-know
3 Offensive Stats that were Solid in 2018, 3 to Improve in 2019
By Craig Peters
https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-2018-offensive-stats-and-3-to-improve-in-2019
Lunchbreak: Cronin Tabs O’Neill as Vikings Best Rookie from 2018 Draft Class
By Lindsey Young
https://www.vikings.com/news/lunchbreak-brian-o-neill-minnesota-vikings-best-rookie
2018 Vikings Position Recap: Defensive Line
By Eric Smith
https://www.vikings.com/news/2018-vikings-position-recap-defensive-line
VIKING Update
Kubiak brings history of persistence, production in run game
By Tim Yotter
https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Gary-Kubiak-brings-history-of-persistence-production-in-run-game-for-
Minnesota-Vikings-127833345/
Assessing the options for Vikings’ special teams coordinator
By Tim Yotter
https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Assessing-the-options-for-Minnesota-Vikings-next-special-teams-
coordinator-127811653/
1500 ESPN
Seven bold ideas for the Vikings offseason
By Matthew Coller
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2019/01/seven-bold-ideas-vikings-offseason/
Zulgad: Hiring Gary Kubiak will enable Mike Zimmer to go on the defensive
By Judd Zulgad
http://www.1500espn.com/news/2019/01/zulgad-hiring-gary-kubiak-will-enable-mike-zimmer-go-defensive/Vikings hire Gary Kubiak as offensive advisor and assistant head coach
By Matthew Coller
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2019/01/report-vikings-hiring-gary-kubiak-offensive-advisory-role/
Report: Gary Kubiak talking to Vikings about position on coaching staff
By Judd Zulgad
http://www.1500espn.com/news/2019/01/report-gary-kubiak-talking-vikings-position-coaching-staff/
NATIONAL NEWS: Tuesday, January 15, 2019
ESPN
Vikings hire Gary Kubiak as adviser on offense
By ESPN
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25762348/minnesota-vikings-hire-gary-kubiak-adviser-offense
Brian O'Neill, Mike Hughes provide hope for Vikings' future
By Courtney Cronin
http://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/28106/brian-oneill-mike-hughes-provide-hope-for-vikings-future
NFL.com
Vikings hire Gary Kubiak to offensive coaching staff
By Jeremy Bergman
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001010737/article/vikings-hire-gary-kubiak-to-offensive-coaching-staff
USA TODAY
Vikes add Kubiak as assistant head coach, offensive adviser
By AP
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/01/14/vikes-add-kubiak-as-assistant-head-coach-offensive-adviser/38898773/PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 1/15/19 Vikings hire veteran coach Gary Kubiak as offensive advisor By Dane Mizutani A few days after formally introducing Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator, the Vikings have added additional expertise on that side of the ball. The Vikings on Monday hired veteran NFL coach Gary Kubiak as assistant head coach/offensive adviser, the team announced. Kubiak will bring a wealth of knowledge to the coaching staff after serving as head coach of the Houston Texans (2006-13) and Denver Broncos (2015-16). The Vikings also added Kubiak’s son, Klint, as quarterbacks coach and hired Brian Pariani as tight ends coach. Kubiak, 57, had an 82-75 record in 10 seasons as a head coach, highlighted by a victory in Super Bowl L in Denver. He has three other Super Bowl rings, two earned as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, one earned when he was quarterbacks coach in San Francisco. He spent the past two seasons as a senior personnel adviser for the Broncos. Less than a week ago, the senior Kubiak appeared to be on the verge of becoming the Broncos’ offensive coordinator under new head coach Vic Fangio. Those talks broke down over differing ideas about the team’s potential offensive philosophy.
PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 1/15/19 Super Bowl winner Gary Kubiak joins Mike Zimmer's Vikings staff By Andrew Krammer and Mark Craig A makeover of the Vikings offensive coaching staff began in earnest Monday with the addition of a Super Bowl- winning coach. Gary Kubiak, the 57-year-old former Texans and Broncos head coach, was hired as assistant head coach and offensive advisor to coach Mike Zimmer, the team announced. Kubiak is being joined by his son, Klint, as quarterbacks coach. Klint Kubiak, 31, served as Vikings quality control and assistant receivers coach in 2013-14. Gary Kubiak is a veteran play caller and offensive schemer who won Super Bowl 50 as the Broncos coach after the 2015 season. Kubiak stepped down following the 2016 season because of health reasons and remained on Denver’s staff as a personnel consultant. The Vikings also will have new veteran leadership in the offensive line and tight end meeting rooms. The team announced Brian Pariani will coach tight ends. Meanwhile, Rick Dennison is being targeted to coach the offensive line, according to a league source. Both Dennison, 60, and Pariani, 53, have worked with Gary Kubiak at multiple stops. Reports surfaced midseason about Kubiak’s interest to return to coaching as a coordinator. Longtime Vikings assistant Kevin Stefanski, 36, was named offensive coordinator last week. Zimmer sought to fill a leadership void created by last summer’s death of Tony Sparano, a veteran offensive line coach and run game planner. The Vikings ranked 19th in scoring in 2018. Gary Kubiak oversaw four top-10 scoring offenses in eight seasons as the Texans coach. The moves leave unclear futures for assistants Clancy Barone and Todd Downing, who coached the Vikings offensive line and tight ends last season following Sparano’s death. Barone was Kubiak’s offensive line coach in Denver in 2015 and ’16. Downing joined the Vikings as a senior offensive assistant a year ago under former coordinator John DeFilippo. Kubiak’s own path took a turn in recent days. He had reportedly agreed to become Broncos offensive coordinator under newly hired coach Vic Fangio, but the agreement fell apart over philosophical differences and Kubiak’s desire to rehire former Denver assistants Dennison and Pariani. Pariani was Kubiak’s tight ends coach in Houston, Baltimore and Denver. He has not coached the past two NFL seasons since he was fired by the Broncos in 2017. Dennison is a former coordinator (Broncos 2015-16, Bills 2017) who led the Jets offensive line and run game in 2018. As a player, Kubiak was John Elway’s backup at quarterback in Denver after being an eighth-round choice in 1983 out of Texas A&M. He was on the losing end of three Super Bowls. Kubiak started his coaching career as running backs coach at his alma mater before becoming quarterbacks coach for the Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers in 1994. He was Broncos offensive coordinator from 1995 to 2005, with two more Super Bowl titles in the 1997 and ’98 seasons. The Texans hired him in 2006 and he was 63-66 over eight years, including 2-2 in the playoffs. In November 2013, he collapsed on the field during a game against Indianapolis after suffering what was diagnosed as a transient ischemic attack — a mini-stroke.
He served 2014 as Ravens offensive coordinator before Elway, now the Broncos general manager, hired him as coach, with Denver beating Carolina in the Super Bowl in February 2016. That October, Kubiak was hospitalized after a loss to Atlanta because of what was called “a complex migraine condition” that caused him fatigue. He skipped the Broncos’ following game and retired after the season. Klint Kubiak was quarterbacks coach for the Broncos for the past three seasons. He was a QB at Colorado State before starting his coaching career in 2010 at Texas A&M.
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/15/19 5 Things to Know About New Vikings Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Advisor Gary Kubiak By Eric Smith EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings have added a Super Bowl-winning coach to their staff. Minnesota announced Monday that Gary Kubiak will be the team’s assistant head coach/offensive advisor going forward. Kubiak spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons in Denver as a senior personnel advisor for the Broncos. Here are five things to know about Kubiak: 1. He’s got four rings Kubiak was a three-time Super Bowl champion while with the Broncos, including as Denver’s head coach in a 24-10 win in Super Bowl 50 against Carolina. Kubiak also won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 when he was the Broncos offensive coordinator. Denver’s offense ranked first in yards and points per game in 1997, and the Broncos were second in yards and third in points per game in 1998. He earned his first Super Bowl ring in 1994 as the quarterbacks coach with the San Francisco 49ers. 2. Plenty of experience Kubiak has nearly 10 years of head coaching experience in the NFL and has an 82-75 overall regular-season record. He was the head coach in Houston for nearly eight seasons from 2006-2013 and went 61-64 while leading the Texans to a pair of AFC South titles and two playoff appearances. Kubiak then spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as the head coach in Denver, compiling a 21-11 record. 3. The Kubiak clan Kubiak’s three sons are all involved in football, including his oldest son, Klint, who has joined the Vikings as the quarterbacks coach. Klint spent the previous three seasons with the Broncos as an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach. Kubiak’s son Klay is the head coach of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory school in Dallas, and his other son, Klein, is a scout for the Broncos.
4. A solid playing career Kubiak played in 119 career games for the Broncos after being an eighth-round pick by Denver in the 1983 NFL Draft. Kubiak, who made five starts, completed 173 of 298 career passes (58.1 percent) for 1,920 yards with 14 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He was 3-2 as a starting quarterback with the Broncos. 5. Surrounded by legends Kubiak has consistently been associated with legendary quarterbacks during his time in the NFL. He was John Elway’s backup for nine seasons in Denver and was later Elway’s offensive coordinator with the Broncos from 1995 to 1998. Elway was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004. Kubiak was then hired by Elway as Denver’s head coach in 2015. The former teammates linked up to win a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning under center. Manning ranks first in league history with 539 touchdown passes and is second all-time with 71,940 passing yards, and will be a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer. Kubiak also coached Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1994 with the 49ers. Young put together the best season of his career under Kubiak as he threw for 3,969 yards with 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 70.3 percent of his passes. Young’s 1994 passer rating of 112.8 ranks 10th all-time for a single season. The top nine ratings have all come since 2004.
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/15/19 3 Offensive Stats that were Solid in 2018, 3 to Improve in 2019 By Craig Peters EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings 2018 offensive season was one in which playing with balance proved to be elusive. There were impressive statistical totals by players like quarterback Kirk Cousins, receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph in the passing game. The run game, however, got lost in the shuffle and was virtually nonexistent in multiple games, even though the Vikings had 11 games with Dalvin Cook, as opposed to just four in 2017. The Vikings finished with an 8-7-1 record after ranking 20th in total net yards, 30th in rushing and 13th in passing yards. Minnesota was 19th in points for per game (22.5). Here are three offensive stats that were good in 2018: 1. Cousins only QB with five top 10s The Vikings, particularly under John DeFilippo, turned to Cousins and the passing attack frequently. He became the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns, have a completion percentage above 70 and throw 10 or fewer interceptions in a season. Cousins was the only player in 2018 to rank in the top 10 in attempts (fourth with 606), completions (third with 425), completion percentage (second with 70.1 percent), passing touchdowns (ninth with 30) and passer rating (10th with a 99.7). With DeFilippo as offensive coordinator (first 13 games of 2018), Cousins completed 370 of 524 passes (70.6 percent) for 3,698 yards with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions for a passer rating of 98.5. He took 32 of the 40 sacks during that stretch. In three games with Kevin Stefanski serving as interim offensive coordinator (he was officially named the O.C. on Friday), Cousins completed 55 of 82 passes (67.1 percent) for 600 yards with six touchdowns and one interception for a rating of 107.8. He was sacked eight times in the final three games of the season (four in Week 17). 2. Thielen, Diggs & Rudolph account for 65.6 percent of completions Thielen and Diggs each posted career-bests for receptions, yards and touchdowns. They posted one of the most prolific seasons in franchise history, becoming the first set of Vikings teammates to each have more than 100 receptions in a season and the first duo since Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss in 2000 to each have more than 1,000 yards.
Thielen (113 receptions; 1,373 yards; nine touchdowns) and Diggs (102; 1,021; nine) were supplemented by Rudolph (64; 634; four). The trio combined to account for 65.6 percent of the completions thrown by Cousins and were consistently reliable with a catch rate of 72.7 percent. According to Sportradar, Rudolph, who was targeted 82 times, tied for eighth in the NFL among qualifying players with just one drop. Thielen (three drops on 153 targets) and Diggs (three drops on 149 targets) tied for 38th in the NFL. 3. 4.89 yards of separation at the catch for Cook According to NextGen Stats, Cook ranked sixth in the NFL with 4.891 average yards of separation from the nearest defender at the time of the catch. Background: The stat skews heavily toward running backs (Giants tight end Evan Engram was the only non-RB in the top 20) because they begin plays in the backfield and often are guarded by linebackers, as opposed to receivers who often receive press coverage at the line of scrimmage. That said, the passing game can be another way to get the ball into the hands of Cook, who has shown elements of explosiveness in 15 career games. Cook finished with 40 receptions, 305 yards and the first two receiving touchdowns of his career on 49 targets. Giants rookie Saquon Barkley totaled 91 receptions for 721 yards and four scores on 121 targets and led the NFL with 5.544 yards of separation at the catch in his rookie campaign under former Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Rudolph had the second-most yards of separation at the catch on the Vikings. He averaged 3.060 for 55th out of 134 qualifying players across the NFL, which was a spot above Philadelphia tight end Zach Ertz (3.052). Thielen averaged 2.612 (94th), Diggs averaged 2.380 (113th) and Laquon Treadwell averaged 1.857 (130th). Here are three stats that need to improve in 2019: 1. 284 first downs not enough It’s the most basic of all offensive goals: advance the ball 10 yards and receive a new set of downs. The Vikings earned a total of 284 first downs in 2018, which tied with Chicago for 20th in the league and was 50 fewer than the 334 earned by Minnesota in 2017.
The Bears, buoyed by a turnover-causing machine of a defense, had the fewest first downs of any team that made the playoffs. The league average for first downs this season was 326.9, with 100.2 by running the football, 196.1 by throwing and 30.6 by penalty. Minnesota had 66 by running the football, which ranked last in the NFL and was down from 100 in 2017, 218 by throwing the ball (up from 196 a year ago and ranked eighth in 2018) and 26 by penalty (nearly a third less than the 38 awarded in 2017). Not including penalties, the four teams that are playing for conference championships ranked in the top six in first downs this season. The Rams led the NFL with 370 (134 rushing, 236 passing). The Chiefs tied with the Buccaneers for second. Kansas City had 106 by running and 239 by passing for a total of 345. New Orleans was fourth with 342 first downs (134 rushing, 208 passing). Pittsburgh was fifth with 339 (88 rushing, 251 passing), and New England ranked sixth with 337 (131 rushing, 206 passing). 2. 20 giveaways harmed team The Vikings finished tied with the Ravens for 16th in the NFL with 20 giveaways, which was just a tick under the NFL average of 21.8 and six more than the 14 that Minnesota suffered in 2017. Cousins was intercepted 10 times on 606 attempts for a career-best interception percentage of 1.7 (eighth in 2018) while tying Warren Moon’s franchise record for attempts in one season. Cousins, however, also lost seven of his nine fumbles, including three in a bad home loss to Buffalo. Minnesota finished with 15 fumbles and lost 10 in a season when teams averaged 20.1 fumbles and 8.7 losses of possession by fumble. Of the eight teams that won their respective divisions, all but Chicago (24) had fewer giveaways than Minnesota and Baltimore. Opponents scored 36 points directly off Vikings giveaways (touchdowns on three interceptions and two fumble returns, four extra points and a 2-point conversion). 3. 357 rush attempts the fewest under Zimmer Minnesota ran the ball 357 times in 2018, the fewest since Mike Zimmer’s hire as head coach in 2018. The Vikings finished with 1,493 rushing yards on the season, a total that was boosted by a late- season commitment after Stefanski’s promotion. Through 13 games, the Vikings had rushed for 274 times, totaling 1,110 yards on the ground and an average of 4.1 yards per carry.
That amounted to 21.1 attempts and 85.4 yards per game. In the final three games, the Vikings rushed 83 times for 383 yards for averages of 27.7 rushes, 4.6 yards per carry and 127.7 yards per game. Minnesota finished with 4.2 yards per carry, which was third-most in five seasons under Zimmer and up from 3.9 per attempt in 2017.
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/15/19 Lunchbreak: Cronin Tabs O’Neill as Vikings Best Rookie from 2018 Draft Class By Lindsey Young The Vikings entered the 2018 season with eight draft picks. After Week 2, that number dipped to seven when kicker Daniel Carlson was released following three missed field goals at Green Bay. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin said that Minnesota’s rookie production was “average” but pointed to a number of players who “showed promise” throughout the season. She tabbed second-round selection Brian O’Neill as the team’s best rookie and wrote the following about the tackle out of Pittsburgh: When he arrived in Minnesota for rookie minicamp in May, Brian O’Neill was largely viewed as a project – a high draft pick with limitless athletic upside who would need time to develop before being ready to play in the NFL. The right tackle was barely 300 pounds when he was drafted and underwent an expedited growth process because the Vikings desperately needed him to morph from a fill-in to full-time starter at the position by Week 9. It’s no surprise how well O’Neill's athleticism (he ran the fastest 40-yard dash of any offensive lineman at the combine) translated into helping the Vikings get to the second level in the run game. His ability to adapt and recover in the passing game was a work in progress in 2018, but the strides he made in being able to protect Kirk Cousins hold promise that his development in Year 2 will be even better. Cronin selected fifth-round pick Tyler Conklin as the most-improved rookie and said that the “jury is still out” on cornerback Mike Hughes, who got off to a strong start but tore his ACL in Week 6 against the Cardinals, effectively ending his season. The former UCF standout never got a chance to showcase the full depth of his talents, but the high praise he received from [Viking Head Coach] Mike Zimmer – something that isn't typically bestowed upon young corners – throughout his shortened season shouldn’t go unnoticed. Hughes didn’t get to settle in at one position because of depth concerns perpetuated by injuries in the secondary, so the jury is still out on where his best fit lies between the nickel and outside corner. Cronin also evaluated the Vikings rookies who were signed as undrafted free agents. She highlighted Holton Hill, whom she was said was “widely considered the top UDFA” for his performance when stepping in for an injured Rhodes. Chad Beebe is another rookie with a promising future despite injuries that limited him after he was elevated off the practice squad and onto the 53-man roster ahead of Week 9. The wide receiver gave the Vikings a different look out of the slot with his ability to burn the linebackers with whom he matched up near the line of scrimmage, and his precision and footwork allowed him to separate from defensive backs and win his routes.
Krammer lists Harrison Smith atop ‘deep’ Vikings secondary The Vikings depth at secondary was battle-tested a bit when hit by injuries throughout the 2018 season. Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune took a look at Minnesota’s defensive backs and gave out grades (1-5) in continuation of his series that evaluates each position group. He pointed out that the Vikings weathered “early hiccups and an infusion of young talent for ailing starters.” According to Krammer’s system, safety Harrison Smith graded the highest at 4.5. He wrote: A safety disruptive near and far from offenses, Smith was again the Vikings Swiss Army Knife in 2018. Led all defenders with 1,024 snaps [98.6%]. One of five Vikings to play more than 1,000 snaps. […] Integral to the Vikings run defense. Smith started playing more of a linebacker role in Weeks 8-11 when Anthony Barr was injured. Only four safeties had more run stops (18) than Smith; none had fewer missed tackles (one). Coaches rave about Smith’s preparation, vision and closing speed leading to anticipatory plays behind the line of scrimmage. Just below Smith with a 4.0 grade from Krammer was fellow safety Anthony Harris, who assumed starting duties when Andrew Sendejo was sidelined (and later added to Injured Reserve) with a groin injury. Krammer called 2018 a “breakout season” for the fourth-year safety. He wrote that Harris is “regarded as a film junkie who gets razzed in team meetings for knowing it all.” So it’s little surprise he’s earned Mike Zimmer’s trust as the starting safety. Rarely caught out of position. Isn’t the most athletically gifted player but makes up for it with everything else. Krammer next evaluated cornerback Trae Waynes (3.5), cornerback Mackensie Alexander (3.5) and Xavier Rhodes (3.0), who in his sixth NFL season fought through multiple injuries. Krammer said that Rhodes is “still one of the league’s most disruptive man-to-man corners when healthy and concentrated.” The remaining defensive backs received the following grades: rookie cornerback Holton Hill (3.0), cornerback Mike Hughes through six games before tearing his ACL (2.5), safety Jayron Kearse (2.5), Sendejo (2.0), safety George Iloka (2.0) and cornerback/return specialist Marcus Sherels (2.0).
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/15/19 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Defensive Line By Eric Smith EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings had one of the league’s best defensive lines on paper entering the 2018 season. The bookends were a Pro Bowl/All-Pro defensive end in Everson Griffen and a rising young star in Danielle Hunter, sandwiching Pro Bowl nose tackle Linval Joseph and Sheldon Richardson, a splashy free agent signing from March. Add in respectable depth behind them, and the Vikings appeared to have the makings of one of the top units in the league. But in a season that saw Minnesota go 8-7-1 and endure some ups and downs, the defensive line endured the same ebbs and flows. Hunter was a force off the edge on a weekly basis as he was named a Second-Team All-Pro after posting a career-high 14.5 sacks. Richardson showed flashes of being a dominant player in his first season in Purple, recording 4.5 sacks. Joseph endured injuries throughout the season but turned in one of the season’s biggest plays in Week 5 at Philadelphia when he returned a fumble 64 yards for a touchdown. Griffen missed five games to focus on personal and mental health matters. He finished his ninth season with 5.5 sacks. Defensive end Stephen Weatherly stepped up in Griffen’s absence with 3.0 sacks, and Tom Johnson returned to Minnesota early in the 2018 season to rack up 4.5 sacks in a limited role. Jaleel Johnson played a quarter of the Vikings total defensive snaps. Tashawn Bower and Jalyn Holmes filled in when necessary but were mostly inactive for the majority of the season. Minnesota’s defensive line recorded 35.5 sacks to help the Vikings finish tied for third with 50 total sacks on the season. But the Vikings struggled at times against the run, as Minnesota finished 15th in the league by allowing 113.4 rushing yards per game. The Vikings routinely talk about stopping the run to be able to earn the right to rush the passer, but Minnesota wasn’t able to accomplish that first goal consistently as the Vikings gave up 100 or more rushing yards in half of their games this season. The Vikings defensive line will still boast plenty of skill and big names in 2019, especially if Richardson returns after signing a 1-year deal last offseason. But if they can mix in more consistency with their talent, that could help the Vikings get back in the postseason picture.
RELATED LINKS 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Offensive Line 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Tight Ends 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Receivers 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Running Backs 2018 Vikings Position Recap: Quarterbacks Notable Number 14.5 — Hunter announced his presence as one of the NFL’ premier young pass rushers as he set a career high with 14.5 sacks in his fourth season in the league. Just 24 years old, Hunter had three multi-sack games and recorded at least one sack in 10 of Minnesota’s 16 contests. The young defensive end, who signed a contract extension in the summer, has 40 career sacks in four seasons, which topped Hall of Famer Alan Page’s franchise record for a Viking in his first four pro seasons. Memorable Moment The Vikings were engaged in a dogfight with the defending Super Bowl champions before Minnesota’s biggest player turned the tide. With just over four minutes left in the second quarter, Linval Joseph snatched a fumble out of midair and rumbled 64 yards for a touchdown, the first of his career. The defensive tackle’s first career score helped the Vikings grab a 10-3 advantage. Minnesota wouldn’t give up the lead in a Week 5 win at Philadelphia as the Vikings improved to 2-2-1 on the season. Regular-Season Statistics Danielle Hunter 74 total tackles (team stats) with 26 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown Linval Joseph 79 total tackles (team stats) with four tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown Sheldon Richardson 61 total tackles (team stats) with 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks Everson Griffen 39 total tackles (team stats) with eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks Stephen Weatherly 42 total tackles (team stats) with seven tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble
Tom Johnson 30 total tackles (team stats) with nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries Jaleel Johnson 19 total tackles (team stats) with three tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, one forced fumble Tashawn Bower Six total tackles (team stats) with one tackle for loss Jalyn Holmes Five total tackles (team stats) with one tackle for loss and a sack 2 Highest highs 1. When you set a franchise record for sacks in a game, it has to be a high moment, especially when the defensive line had a hand with nine of the 10 sacks. The Vikings pummeled Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford all game long as the Vikings received multi-sack games from three players. Hunter led the way with 3.5 while Tom Johnson had 2.5 and Griffen had 1.5. Weatherly had sack, and Richardson split one as the Vikings reached double digits for the first time in franchise history. 2. We’re sticking with the same game in Week 9 for this one, as Hunter stamped the best game of his career with his second defensive touchdown in four seasons. The Vikings led 17-6 a little more than midway through the fourth quarter when Stafford scrambled to his right. He attempted to pitch the ball to a teammate, but the unsuspecting player wasn’t ready as the ball tumbled to the turf. Hunter promptly scooped and scored on a 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown as the key play highlighted a dynamic day for the Vikings defense. 2 Lowest lows 1. It’s tough enough to win in New England, and even tougher when you don’t stop the run or get pressure on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The Vikings didn’t do either in Week 13 on the road. Brady wasn’t sacked, and New England ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 39 rushes. Minnesota gave up 471 yards of offense to the Patriots, the second-highest total allowed by the Vikings all season.
2. Nothing went right for the Vikings defense against the Rams, as Minnesota surrendered a season-high 556 yards of offense in Los Angeles — the highest total in Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer’s five seasons in Minnesota. The Vikings defensive line failed to generate substantial pressure on Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who picked apart the defense for 465 passing yards and was sacked just once. Minnesota also allowed 100 rushing yards on just 20 attempts. The Vikings defensive struggles on the West Coast ultimately led to a turnaround as Minnesota finished ninth in points allowed per game at 21.3. Quote “It was all a team effort, man. Guys stepped up big today, and we played as a team. We know that every week it’s not going to be like that, so we have to take advantage of the opportunities we get and rush together. The whole D-line … we had a big day.” — Griffen on the Vikings 10-sack performance in Week 9 against the Lions
PUBLICATION : VIKING Update DATE: 1/15/19 Kubiak brings history of persistence, production in run game By Tim Yotter The Minnesota Vikings could be filling most of their openings on the offensive coaching staff by bringing in former Denver Broncos and Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak. By hiring Kubiak as the assistant head coach/offensive advisor, the Vikings also get his son, Klint, as their quarterbacks coach – the role previously held by Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, and Brian Pariani as their tight ends coach. And, according to The Sporting News, the Kubiaks could also be bringing an offensive line coach, Rick Dennison, from Denver to Minnesota. Gary Kubiak was initially tagged to be the Broncos’ offensive coordinator under new head coach Vic Fangio, but different visions for the offense and the offensive staff caused the Broncos to allow Kubiak to interview for other jobs. As head coach of the Broncos from 2015-16, Kubiak’s offense was ranked 27th in yards and 22nd in points scored in 2016, while in 2015 they were 16h in yards and 19th in points scored. But the relatively consistent theme of Kubiak’s 22 years of experience in the NFL that meshes with what Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer wants is more persistence and production in the running game. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to assign Kubiak as the team’s run-game coordinator, whether by title or responsibility. That was essentially the role that former offensive line coach Tony Sparano had with the Vikings in 2017 under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and Zimmer praised the influence that Sparano had on the organization before his unexpected death just days before the start of the team’s 2018 training camp. “I really felt like a year ago with the players we had there we had that mentality with the players. I’m not saying things about the offensive line [in 2018], but they were tough guys, too. But I think you need that kind of a leader in that room that can help with those things and Tony was very innovative in the running game,” Zimmer said. “Like I said before, he was extremely influential in that room. I used to talk with him every morning. When I’m talking to the defense during the game, he would be influential throughout the series offensively and getting them going about what they’re going to do the next series. That was a little bit of a factor.” Despite being in the bottom half of the league in offensive yards and points in 2016 with Kubiak as head coach, the Broncos were 15th in rushing attempts, and they were 17th in rushing attempts and yards in 2015. As the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens in 2014, they finished 12th in yards and eighth in points. The Ravens were 11th in rushing attempts that season and eighth in rushing yards. When Kubiak was head coach of the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013, they ranked in the top 10 in offensive yards four times – they were third twice and fourth once – and top 10 in points scored twice. In 2011, the Texans had the most rushing attempts of any team and the second-most rushing yards. They ranked in the top 10 for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns three straight seasons, from 2010 to 2012. Since he was either a head coach or offensive coordinator in the NFL, starting in 1995, Kubiak’s offenses have ranked first or second in rushing attempts six times, and 11 times were in the top 10. His offenses were top five in rushing yards 10 times and top 10 in rushing yards 14 times in those 22 years.
Kubiak’s passing offense was in the top 10 in nine of those 22 years and was in the top half for all but six seasons. Dennison, who is reportedly slated as the Vikings’ next offensive line coach, worked for Kubiak for much of his NFL coaching career, which started in 1995, as either an offensive assistant, special teams coach, offensive line coach or offensive coordinator. As the offensive line coach from 2001-05 with Kubiak the coordinator of the Broncos, Dennison’s offensive line was top-10 in rushing yards for the final four seasons. As Kubiak’s offensive coordinator with Houston from 2010-2013, the Texans finished as a top-10 rushing team in three of those four seasons. When he and Kubiak returned to Denver in 2015 as offensive line coach and coordinator, the Broncos were 17th in rushing yards and attempts. For Zimmer, Kubiak appears to be a strong fit when it comes to a commitment to running ball effectively and likely will be an experienced sounding board with Kubiak’s experience running offenses and being a former head coach.
PUBLICATION : VIKING Update DATE: 1/15/19 Assessing the options for Vikings’ special teams coordinator By Tim Yotter With Mike Priefer heading to his hometown of Cleveland to coordinate the special teams for Browns, the Minnesota Vikings are searching for a special teams coordinator for the first time in almost a decade. So who will it be? Perhaps head coach Mike Zimmer simply will promote special teams assistant Ryan Ficken, who got his start with the Vikings as an assistant wide receivers coach 12 years ago but has spent the last six as the assistant special teams coach. But if Zimmer is looking around the NFL at qualified special teams coaches who might be out of work after their head coaches got fired, there are several from which to choose. Eight teams fired their head coaches from 2018, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all eight of those special-teams coaches are out of work. The new head coaches will decide the fate of some of them. Our colleagues at Packer Report in Green Bay do an annual ranking of special teams based on starting field position on kickoffs/kickoff returns, net punting for/against and field-goal percentage. The Vikings finished 18th based on those criteria in 2018, ranging from as high as 10th in punting to the bottom of the pack on field goal percentage – mind you, with at least nine games every year indoors, that’s saying something. So here are the possibilities among the teams that fired their head coaches: CINCINNATI This may offer the best and most logical route for the Vikings, especially given Zimmer’s connections to Cincinnati. Darrin Simmons’ special teams finished sixth overall in the cumulative rankings. While a 21st ranking in field goal percentage doesn’t stand out, it was the worst ranking of the five categories. The Bengals were fourth in kickoff coverage, 20th in punt coverage, 13th in kick returns and fourth in punt returns. The biggest drawback may be the number of penalties, as the Bengals were the fourth-most penalized special-teams unit. MIAMI While the Dolphins wait to announce their next coach, which is expected to be Patriots defensive coach Brian Flores, the rest of their coaching staff is in limbo. Under Darren Rizzi, who was also the associate head coach for Adam Gase, the Dolphins finished 13th in the special teams rankings. They had the No. 1 punt returner in the NFL, Jakeem Grant, who averaged a whopping 16.3 yards per punt return and a very healthy 29.7 yards per kickoff return, including touchdowns in both phases. The Dolphins were one of the least-penalized special-teams units, as well, another important factor for Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. But two areas of concern reside here: 1) The Vikings would have to wait beyond the Patriots’ exit from the playoffs to find out Rizzi’s fate; 2) The overall ranking was bolstered heavily by Grant’s success while Miami finished 18th in kickoff coverage and 26th in punt-return coverage. The second concern is alleviated somewhat by Rizzi’s successes during his 10-year tenure in Miami. He has proven capable of developing young talent, as well as have strong success blocking kicks. DENVER Based off ranking 24th in the Packer Report’s ranking that awards points for where the team finished in each of the five special-teams categories, it’s unlikely that Zimmer would have looked to tap Tom McMahon. Either way, McMahon reportedly is expected to return to Denver under new head coach Vic Fangio.
GREEN BAY This does not appear the place to mine a special teams coordinator. In addition to finishing dead last in the special-teams rankings, Green Bay was the only team to finish 20th or worse in all five categories, with coordinator Ron Zook getting fired when Matt LaFleur was hired as Green Bay’s head coach. TAMPA BAY Tampa Bay didn’t fare much better than Green Bay in special teams. The Bucs finished 28th in the rankings, including last on punt returns and 29th in field goal percentage. Coordinator Nate Kaczor was fired, but it remains to be seen if he is found worthy of another chance as the lead in coordinating special teams. CLEVELAND The Browns were ranked 30th in special teams, so it’s no surprise that coordinator Amos Jones was fired when Freddie Kitches was promoted to head coach last week. The Browns were 31st in kickoff coverage, 30th in punt coverage and 28th in field goal percentage. Those aren’t the type of rankings that would satisfy Mike Zimmer. ARIZONA The Cardinals finished 10th in the special-teams rankings and new head coach Kliff Kingsbury is keeping their 2018 coordinator, Jeff Rodgers, so cross that one off the list. NEW YORK JETS The Jets had one of the better special teams in the league, but that couldn’t save Todd Bowles from getting fired. However, new head coach Adam Gase saw the value in Brant Boyer and kept him around to coordinate special teams, where Andre Roberts shined as perhaps the best kick returner in the NFL. But perhaps Boyer’s assistant, Jeff Hammerschmidt, who has three years of coaching in the NFL after 24 years at the college level, could be a consideration. He coordinated special teams in college for Arizona and Colorado State for a combined eight years before coming to the NFL.
PUBLICATION : 1500 ESPN DATE: 1/15/19 Seven bold ideas for the Vikings offseason By Matthew Coller As the Minnesota Vikings watch this week’s NFC and AFC Championship games, they should be looking at the Saints, Rams, Chiefs and Patriots as the bar to reach. While luck and bounces play a role in success or failure, this year each championship team ended with a point differential of more than plus-100, while the Vikings outscored opponents by just 19 points over 16 games. Clearly improving the offensive line will be at the top of the Vikings’ list, but adding a guard might not be enough to close the gap between the best teams and Mike Zimmer’s club. The first move came in hiring Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator and the next as making Gary Kubiak assistant coach. What’s next? Let’s have a look at some bold moves the Vikings could make to upgrade… Tag and trade Anthony Barr Head coach Mike Zimmer may be a big fan of Anthony Barr, but keeping him in the Twin Cities could be tough. There hasn’t appeared to be much movement on a long-term contract and franchise tagging Barr would cost somewhere in the range of $12-$14 million for 2019. With his history as a Pro Bowler and potential to grow as a pass rusher, it’s plausible that teams with more cap space would be interested in adding him. Two years ago the Patriots dealt away Jamie Collins to the Browns, who signed a long-term deal in Cleveland. The Dolphins pulled a tag-and-trade with the Browns for Jarvis Landry last year. The move would create cap space for the Vikings to spend on a replacement and other positions. Trade the first-round pick for an offensive weapon GM Rick Spielman has always preached having a long-term plan, but two years ago the Vikings pulled the trigger on a deal to bring Sam Bradford to Minnesota for a first-round pick when Teddy Bridgewater went down. In a win-now season in which pressure with be on Spielman and Zimmer to get back to the postseason, it might make sense to look to acquire a proven offensive player — whether it be a lineman, receiver or tight end — to improve Kirk Cousins’ chances of meeting his full potential. A quick study of the mid-to-late first round finds a mixed bag of immediate impact players, solid starters and busts. With the team pushing to win in the Kirk Cousins window, it might not be crazy to go all-in rather than rolling the dice on a draft pick. Cut Everson Griffen Following a down year, the assumption is that the Vikings will restructure Everson Griffen’s contract, which carries a $11.9 million cap number according to OverTheCap.com. Releasing him would save the Vikings $10.7 million on the cap this offseason, which they could pour into the best possible offensive lineman or wide receiver on the market in order to improve the supporting cast for Cousins. Griffen has been an elite player at his position for years, but graded 68th of 98 defensive ends last year by Pro Football Focus. Stephen Weatherly flashed the potential to be a full-time defensive end this year and the Vikings could also afford to support Weatherly with situational pass rushers as the Patriots and Eagles have done in the last few years. Trade a cornerback for a draft pick
It’s tough to disagree with Zimmer when he says “you can never have too many” defensive backs, but the Vikings now have Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and Mackensie Alexander at corner. Considering Rhodes set to make $13.4 million on the cap and Waynes $9.1 million and PFF ranked Rhodes 72nd of 77 corners and Waynes 34th and Hill allowed just a 51.6 percent completion percentage into his coverage, there could be a case for moving one of them to create extra cap space. Despite the down play from the starting corners, the Vikings were able to combine scheme and pressure to hold opposing quarterbacks to a 83.3 rating, fourth best in the NFL. As far as the return, the Rams gave up a fourth-round pick in 2018 and a second-round pick in 2019 in their deal with the Chiefs for Marcus Peters. But in that case, Kansas City was in a bad spot since Peters had become problematic. The same can’t be said for Waynes or Rhodes, so they would presumably have more trade value. Double down on defense Yes, the top four teams in the NFL rank either No. 1 or 2 in scoring, but it’s unlikely the Vikings are going to be able to reach that level of offensive dominance without a top-five quarterback. So the best chance they have might be attempting to get to the Bears’ level and hoping their kicker doesn’t doink a game- winning kick in the playoffs. The free agent crop of defensive players is pretty impressive. Tyrann Mathieu, Landon Collins or LaMarcus Joyner, for example, alongside Harrison Smith might be death for opposing offenses. How about Ndamukong Suh or Jadaveon Clowney on the defensive line? Maybe bring Terrell Suggs home for one year as a situational rusher? The Vikings are one or two players away from being the most terrifying defense in the NFL. It would certainly be bold to double down on stopping the league’s best offenses. Draft a quarterback in the second round The Vikings haven’t been the type of team to draft a developmental quarterback. They haven’t picked one outside of the first round since John David Booty in 2008. Recent second-round quarterbacks like DeShone Kizer and Christian Hackenberg have gone belly up pretty quickly, but every so often there’s a gem in the bunch a la Jimmy Garoppolo or Derek Carr. Or if you go back to 2012, Russell Wilson, Nick Foles and Kirk Cousins were picked in the third and fourth. Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick were second rounders the year before. It would be on the bold side, but there’s an argument for selecting a quality QB if they drop as a just-in-case for 2021. Plus if said QB has a solid few games in relief, they can be traded to the highest bidder like Jimmy G was. Naturally the biggest problem with picking a quarterback is that it will be a sign to Cousins that his time in Minnesota might not last past three years in total and it would take away from the team’s ability to take a playmaker or offensive lineman. But remember the Seahawks were given lots of D’s and F’s when they picked Wilson because they had Matt Flynn in place. Do anything possible to upgrade left tackle Riley Reiff is a good NFL player. But with a quarterback like Cousins, there isn’t a more important position on the field than his left tackle and the down games Reiff did have correlated with Cousins’ worst performances. Against Buffalo he allowed 12 pressure while battling a foot injury. The Vikings lost and Cousins fumbled twice. His lowest grade came at Chicago in a loss. He gave up five pressures in the finale — another loss to the Bears. Last year Seattle changed the trajectory of their line by trading for Duane Brown, who ranked fourth in pass blocking by PFF. Andrew Whitworth was a franchise-altering signing for the Rams. Joe Staley is going into the final year of his contract with the 49ers. Or the Vikings could attempt a big swing trade at the draft to go up to the top and get Alabama’s Jonah Williams. There aren’t a ton of options because teams don’t let left tackles walk but the Lions drafted Taylor Decker and moved Reiff to right tackle in 2016. Last year Decker ranked 13th in pass blocking, Reiff 36th.
PUBLICATION : 1500 ESPN DATE: 1/15/19 Zulgad: Hiring Gary Kubiak will enable Mike Zimmer to go on the defensive By Judd Zulgad The Vikings’ success on offense under coordinator Pat Shurmur during the 2017 season meant head coach Mike Zimmer rarely had to concern himself with that side of the ball. This enabled Zimmer to focus on his pride-and-joy: defense. As happy as Zimmer seemed during the Vikings’ 13-3 season — at least when he wasn’t calling quarterback Case Keenum lucky — he frequently appeared miserable without Shurmur during a disappointing 8-7-1 finish in 2018 that ended without a playoff berth. This was not acceptable considering the expectations that accompanied the Vikings heading into a season that included the addition of a high-priced quarterback in free agency (Kirk Cousins) and an offensive coordinator (John DeFilippo) to replace Shurmur, who had been named coach of the New York Giants. Zimmer went from grumbling about DeFilippo’s failure to run the ball, to firing him with three games left in the regular season. Kevin Stefanski had served as the Vikings’ interim offensive coordinator for the final three games and last week was named to the full-time position. Stefanski has been a member of the Vikings organization since 2006 and spent the past two years as quarterbacks coach. A year after being passed over to become coordinator, he now had the job and was in charge. Or at least that’s how it appeared until Monday afternoon when reports surfaced that longtime NFL coach and coordinator Gary Kubiak was visiting TCO Performance Center. By Monday night, the Vikings had made Kubiak’s hiring official. Kubiak’s title: assistant head coach and senior advisor. The Vikings also hired Kubiak’s son, Klint, as quarterbacks coach and longtime Kubiak assistant Brian Pariani as tight ends coach. The Star Tribune reported that another trusted Kubiak assistant, Rick Dennison, was being targeted to take over the offensive line. It appeared the spin on these hires was that Stefanski had a hand in deciding to bring in the Kubiaks because he and Klint had coached together with the Vikings in 2013 and ’14. There was a report that Gary Kubiak had an interest in hiring Stefanski in Denver, but the reverse happened when Kubiak ended up not returning as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator under new coach Vic Fangio. The Star Tribune reported that that agreement fell apart over philosophical differences and Kubiak’s desire to rehire Dennison and Pariani. Kubiak, who coached the Broncos to a Super Bowl title in 2015 with Peyton Manning as his quarterback, stepped down after the 2016 season because of health-related reasons. The 57-year-old had spent the past two seasons as a senior personnel advisor for the Broncos, but his desire to be a coordinator again made him a hot name on the market. Maybe Stefanski did play a role in Kubiak being hired by the Vikings. But you know what likely played a bigger role? Zimmer’s desire to not have to worry about offense anymore. It’s also likely that Zimmer, like many of us, realized that while Cousins will make $84 million over three seasons, he isn’t an $84 million quarterback. Cousins needs guidance and plenty of coaching and Kubiak, a longtime backup quarterback to John Elway in Denver, knows plenty about the position.
If the Vikings’ press release on the Kubiak hiring was being completely truthful, it likely would have declared Kubiak to be head coach of the offense and Zimmer to be head coach of the defense. This isn’t a criticism, it’s the reality of what seems to be a growing trend in the NFL. Players need one voice to deliver the “nobody believes in us” message — that will continue to be Zimmer — but Kubiak, with help from Stefanski, will be in charge of Cousins and the offense. These moves are reminiscent of Zimmer’s decision to hire former NFL head coach and longtime coordinator Norv Turner as the Vikings’ OC in 2014. Norv brought along his son, Scott, to coach quarterbacks. That didn’t workout as Norv walked away from the job seven games into the 2016 season. Shurmur, who had been an NFL head coach and offensive coordinator, had been hired before 2016, so it wasn’t a complete surprise that Norv became unhappy and likely felt threatened. That turned out to be an enormous break for Zimmer because Shurmur proved to be exactly what he wanted in an offensive coordinator. The problem is that pleasing Zimmer isn’t that easy, as DeFilippo found out. What’s interesting is that Zimmer doesn’t appear to be threatened by his assistant coaches — no matter how much head coaching experience they might have on their resume — but he also doesn’t appear to have much patience when things go wrong. Especially, when it’s in an area that doesn’t involve his expertise. If the Vikings’ defense has a problem, Zimmer knows exactly what to do. But if things go awry on offense or special teams, it’s a different story and Zimmer’s inability to hide his feelings during press conferences means everyone knows exactly what he’s thinking. That’s why it was interesting to see the Vikings go with the 36-year-old Stefanski as their coordinator. How would Zimmer handle it if Stefanski didn’t decide to run the football enough? Or if Cousins struggled in another big game? With Stefanski in charge of the offense, Zimmer almost certainly would have had to have been more involved than he likes. How was that going to work? It certainly didn’t with the 40-year-old DeFilippo. On Monday, that question was answered. Kubiak will have the responsibility of making sure everything runs smoothly. Zimmer might check in on offense — might even make a suggestion here or there — but the heavy lifting will be Kubiak’s responsibility. We’re guessing this is one instance when Zimmer won’t be complaining.
PUBLICATION : 1500 ESPN DATE: 1/15/19 Vikings hire Gary Kubiak as offensive advisor and assistant head coach By Matthew Coller The Minnesota Vikings are adding a highly-accomplished offensive mind to their staff. The team announced Monday night that it had hired former Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak as an offensive advisor and assistant head coach. Kubiak’s son, Klint, was named the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach and Brian Pariani the tight ends coach. The Star Tribune reported that the Vikings are targeting Rick Dennison to become their offensive line coach. Dennison, 60, and Pariani, 53, previously have worked with Gary Kubiak. The Vikings named Kevin Stefanski as their offensive coordinator last week. Stefanski spent most of last season as the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach before becoming interim offensive coordinator late in the season after John DeFilippo was fired. But it’s clear now Stefanski will have plenty of help as they look to improve on an offense that finished 20th in total yards this season and 19th in scoring with an average of 22.5 points per game. Gary Kubiak, who spent the past two seasons as a senior personnel advisor for the Denver Broncos, has 24 years of coaching experience in the NFL, including 10 as a head coach. Kubiak spent nine seasons as a backup quarterback with the Broncos from 1983 to ’91, was the team’s offensive coordinator from 1995 to 2005 and also was Denver’s head coach in 2015 and 2016. Kubiak guided the Broncos to a Super Bowl title in 2015 but stepped down after the following season because of health-related reasons. Kubiak, who also coached the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013, had an 82-75 regular-season record and 5-2 mark in the playoffs. Kubiak had been expected to return as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator next season under new coach Vic Fangio, but the Star Tribune reported the agreement fell apart over philosophical differences and Kubiak’s desire to rehire Dennison and Pariani. The Jacksonville Jaguars were reportedly interested in hiring Kubiak as their offensive coordinator. Klint Kubiak will be making a return to the Vikings after having served on the team’s coaching staff as a quality control coach and assistant wide receivers coach in 2013 and 2014. Stefanski was a position coach for the Vikings at the time so the two are familiar with each other. Klint Kubiak had spent the past three years as an offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach for the Broncos. Kubiak left the Vikings to become the wide receivers coach at the University of Kansas in 2015. Pariani has more than 20 years of experience as a tight ends coach. He worked alongside Gary Kubiak from 1994 to 2016, with the exception of 2005 when he was at Syracuse University. The moves leave it uncertain what will happen with assistant coaches Clancy Barone and Todd Downing. Barone was Gary Kubiak’s offensive line coach in 2015 and 2016 in Denver. Barone coached Vikings tight ends in 2017 and then became co-offensive line coach this season after Tony Sparano passed away just before training camp. Downing, an Eden Prairie native who got his start in the NFL working for the Vikings in 2001, joined the team as a senior offensive assistant last offseason after DeFilippo was hired but became tight ends coach when Barone shifted to the offensive line.
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