Considered a “rising star” in the NFL coaching ranks, Minnesota Vikings assistant quarterback coach Grant Udinski is proving difficult to keep around.
“The Patriots interviewed Vikings assistant OC/assistant QBs coach Grant Udinski for their offensive coordinator job yesterday, per sources. Udinski’s very valuable in Minnesota—and considered a rising star in the field,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on January 21. “The 28-year-old is also a finalist for the Seattle OC job.”
The Patriots interviewed Vikings assistant OC/assistant QBs coach Grant Udinski for their offensive coordinator job yesterday, per sources. Udinski’s very valuable in Minnesota—and considered a rising star in the field.
The 28-year-old is also a finalist for the Seattle OC job.
An original hire by Kevin O’Connell in 2022, Udinski, 28, was promoted the past two years he’s spent in Minnesota as an offensive wunderkind who has taken on many roles in the Vikings organization.
“This year, the 28-year-old’s official title is ‘assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach.’ His unofficial roles include: mentor to [J.J.] McCarthy; post-practice pass rusher or receiver for Sam Darnold; advance scout and practice lieutenant for [offensive coordinator Wes Phillips]; complement to QB coach Josh McCown,” Minnesota Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling wrote.
A Younger Kevin O’Connell: Vikings’ Grant Udinski Wise Beyond His Years
Udinski played tight end and defensive end in college and earned first-team academic All-American honors.
He spent a year as a graduate assistant with Matt Rhule at Baylor before joining Rhule’s staff with the Carolina Panthers.
When interviewing Udinski in 2022, O’Connell told the Star Tribune that it was like “interviewing a guy who could build a car from scratch for a job at a car wash.
“He’s got such an unbelievable understanding, from his background on offense and defense, and his sheer football stamina is something I really admire. I joke with him all the time, ‘Nobody loves football like you, man.’ His mind never really wanders from it.”
Quarterback coach Josh McCown likens Udinski to O’Connell for that same reason.
“It reminds me a ton of Kevin, when I had him as a quarterbacks coach [in 2015 with the Browns],” McCown, a former NFL quarterback, told the Star Tribune. “You could tell immediately, with his presence and intellect, he was going to be a really good coach. That’s definitely what I can feel from Grant.”
As O’Connell’s done all he can to keep Udinski around with yearly promotions, the Vikings’ coaching staff is becoming bottlenecked with talented offensive minds who deserve to be play-callers.
“It would not surprise me if he’s on a pretty skyrocketed timeline,” said O’Connell, who wouldn’t be shocked if Udinski is a head coach in a few years.
Brian Flores Likely to Return to Vikings
As the NFL head coach vacancies continue to be filled this week, Brian Flores’ opportunities seem to be dwindling.
Flores interviewed for the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach position following the end of the Vikings’ season.
The Bears are finalizing a deal with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, while the Jets seem to be zeroing in on Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
That leaves only the Jaguars, which had less appeal than the either too options in terms of defensive personnel Flores would inherit.
He made it clear that he would entertain all interview requests but would only leave if the situation was right.
