The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly appointed Klint Kubiak to take over as offensive coordinator in 2021. Get to know the new play-caller in Minnesota.
Outside of questions on the depth chart going into the NFL offseason, the Minnesota Vikings also had a large question outstanding on the coaching staff leading into the new year.
This offseason, Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak announced his retirement from coaching, ending a lengthy coaching career that finished with spending two seasons in Minnesota helping out the Vikings’ coaching staff and offensive scheme.
With Kubiak retiring, that left a hole at the offensive play-calling position on the team, with multiple options emerging as options to take over that role before the 2021 campaign kicks off.
On Monday, the day after Super Bowl 55 which saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers claim the league title, Minnesota has reportedly appointed Klint Kubiak — who is Gary’s son — to take over those duties on offense.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings have promoted within and will name Kubiak as the new offensive coordinator to take over for his dad beginning in 2021.
The decision to promote Kubiak makes sense on multiple levels, especially with keeping continuity in that spot to help the Vikings offense remain as one of the top-tier offensive units in the NFL. Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer has said throughout the offseason that he wants a similar offense in place in the new year, which was why Kubiak was long viewed as the favorite to take over the position.
As the 33-year-old Kubiak now takes over and fills the role held by his dad a season ago, let’s get to know the newest play-caller for the Vikings offense.
Kubiak has been in the NFL for five years, learning and spending time with his father over the last two seasons in Minnesota. In 2019, Kubiak took over as quarterbacks coach and has been in that role for two years following a two-year stint with the Vikings as quality control and assistant wide receivers coach in 2013-14.
During that span with the Vikings, Kubiak has been able to work alongside his father and within the offense led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, which is why this move makes a ton of sense just strictly due to the similar systems the two likely have in place.
Not only is Kubiak young in age but there is already a familiarity between him, the organization and the offensive mindset already established. That will make for an easy transition and will hopefully mean Minnesota now has an offensive coordinator in place for longer than a season, which has been an issue over the last handful of seasons with coaches departing the team multiple times.
The new offensive coordinator will take over an offense that was solid once again in 2020 under the direction of Gary Kubiak. Minnesota, led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver duo of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson averaged 393.3 yards per game (fourth-best in NFL) while averaging 26.9 points per game (11th in NFL). The Vikings threw for 250.6 yards per contest (14th in NFL) along with 142.7 rushing yards a game (fifth in NFL).
Although this was the most likely outcome to take place, Minnesota now officially knows who will be taking over play-calling duties beginning in 2021. And that individual is the right choice for the Vikings as they try and return to the playoffs in the new year.