Minnesota Vikings Add New Coaches, Including Assistant Head Coach

The Minnesota Vikings won the last four games of the 2025 season and finished above .500 with a 9-8 record, but many still feel the season was a disappointment, especially since they had finished with a 14-3 record the season before.

It also didn't help that Sam Darnold was the quarterback who helped lead the team to that 14-3 record, and rather than bring him back, they let him sign with the Seattle Seahawks, and he has now led them to the Super Bowl.

As the Vikings plan for the 2026 season, they've already made a couple of big moves to their leadership structure by agreeing on a new contract with defensive coordinator Brian Flores and then firing GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Now, ahead of their search for a new GM, they've added several new coaches, including an assistant head coach.

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Minnesota Vikings Add To The Coaching Staff

Multiple sources are reporting that the Minnesota Vikings have hired Frank Smith as their assistant head coach.

Smith served as the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator from 2022 to early 2026, working under head coach Mike McDaniel to build a high-powered offense. Known for a strong running game, his offenses ranked highly in yardage and, in 2023, led the NFL in total offense.

In addition to hiring Frank Smith, they have also hired offensive line coach Keith Carter, defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Gerald Alexander, and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen.

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Carter had previously served as the assistant line coach in Minnesota, while Alexander was the Steelers’ defensive backs coach in 2025. Nielsen has been a defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a senior defensive assistant for the Buffalo Bills in 2025.

While the Vikings had previously stated that the search for a new GM would not begin until after the NFL Draft, which is in Pittsburgh from April 23 to April 25, it's encouraging that the coaching staff will be fully together to prepare for the draft and for the free agency signing period, which begins at 3:00 pm CST on Wednesday, March 11.