The Divisional Round of the 2025-26 NFL Playoffs is here, and while eight teams are still chasing a Super Bowl dream, the Minnesota Vikings are already in offseason mode. At 9-8, they didn’t crack the postseason field-marking the second time in Kevin O’Connell’s four-year tenure that the Vikings have missed the playoffs entirely.
So what’s next in Minnesota? The plan, for now, seems to be continuity.
The Vikings are hoping to bring back most of last year’s coaching staff, and O’Connell’s seat remains stable. Despite a disappointing season, there’s been little buzz about changes at the top.
And unlike recent offseasons, the team’s offensive assistants aren’t exactly being poached by other franchises-at least not yet.
But the defensive side of the ball? That’s a different story.
Brian Flores Drawing Plenty of Interest
All eyes are on Brian Flores, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator, who’s become a hot name in both head coach and defensive coordinator conversations around the league. His aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme turned heads this season, and teams are taking notice. Flores is reportedly in talks with multiple organizations, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him land a new role soon.
And he’s not the only one. Daronte Jones, the Vikings’ defensive line coach, is also in the mix for defensive coordinator jobs. Jones has quietly built a strong reputation as a developer of talent in the trenches, and his name is circulating as teams look to fill key staff positions.
Former Vikings Assistants Making Moves
While current offensive assistants may not be making headlines, a couple of former Vikings coaches are right in the thick of the 2026 coaching carousel-and both are in the running for head coaching jobs.
Let’s start with a familiar face: Kevin Stefanski.
The 43-year-old former Browns head coach is getting a second interview with the Atlanta Falcons, making him the first known candidate to return for a second round of talks. Stefanski was let go by Cleveland after six seasons, but his résumé still carries weight. He’s respected for his offensive mind and leadership, and Atlanta appears to be seriously considering him to lead their next chapter.
Stefanski’s NFL journey began in Minnesota back in 2006, when he joined Brad Childress’ staff as an assistant to the head coach. He steadily worked his way up the ladder, moving from assistant quarterbacks coach during the Brett Favre years (2009-2013), to tight ends coach (2014-2015), to running backs coach (2016), and eventually back to quarterbacks coach (2017-2018). He was promoted to interim offensive coordinator in 2018 and earned the full-time OC job in 2019 before heading to Cleveland in 2020.
Now, he could be on his way back to the NFC, this time as the potential head coach of the Falcons.
Grant Udinski: The Fast-Rising Name to Watch
Then there’s Grant Udinski, who might be the most intriguing candidate in this year’s hiring cycle.
At just 30 years old, Udinski is already the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars-and now he’s interviewing for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job, the same one Stefanski just vacated. The Browns made the interview official earlier today, confirming that Udinski is very much in the running.
Udinski’s path has been a fast one. He didn’t start his NFL career in Minnesota, but he did make a stop there that proved pivotal.
After a couple of seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2020-2021), Udinski joined Kevin O’Connell’s staff in 2022 as an assistant to the head coach. That role gave him a front-row seat to the day-to-day operations of running a team, and he soaked up everything he could.
In just one season, Udinski was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach. The following year, he added assistant offensive coordinator to his title. Then came the big leap-he was hired by Jacksonville last offseason to be their offensive coordinator under new head coach Liam Coen.
In Florida, Udinski helped engineer a quick turnaround. The Jaguars offense found its rhythm, and the team made the playoffs.
While he hasn’t called plays at the NFL level, his fingerprints were all over Jacksonville’s offensive identity this season. That’s enough to have Cleveland-and likely others-taking a serious look.
Looking Ahead
For the Vikings, it’s another offseason of watching others play meaningful January football. But their coaching tree is still growing, and in some cases, thriving. Whether it’s Stefanski getting a second shot in Atlanta or Udinski potentially landing his first head coaching gig in Cleveland, Minnesota’s recent coaching lineage continues to ripple across the league.
Meanwhile, the Vikings will keep a close eye on whether Brian Flores and Daronte Jones move on-and if so, how they plan to fill those crucial defensive roles. For a team trying to get back into the playoff mix in 2026, the decisions made over the next few weeks could be just as important as anything that happens on the field.