Patriots’ OC Search Widens with Former Vikings Coach
Dustin Baker
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Former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is receiving ample attention from multiple teams this offseason.
The latest is the New England Patriots, equipped with a new head coach in Jerod Mayo after Bill Belichick departed, and now Mayo needs his righthand man on offense.
Patriots’ OC Search Widens with Former Vikings Coach
With any luck, that could be Klint Kubiak, the son of Super Bowl-winning head coach Gary Kubiak.
Patriots reporter Andrew Callahan tweeted Monday, “Two new names in here for the Patriots OC search: 49ers offensive passing game specialist Klint Kubiak and Raiders pass game coordinator Scott Turner. Both have experience coaching quarterbacks, and neither has coached or played in New England before.”
In addition to Kubiak and Turner, New England has already chatted with these men for the open position:
- Luke Getsy
- Brian Fleury
- Nick Caley
- Jerrod Johnson
- Thomas Brown
- Tanner Engstrand
- Shane Waldron
Waldron accepted the offensive coordinator job for the Chicago Bears, so he’s off the Patriots’ radar. It’s also worth noting that Johnson was the Vikings’ assistant quarterback coach in 2022 before taking the Houston Texans offense to new heights as primary quarterbacks coach, tutoring C.J. Stroud in 2023.
Kubiak was also the Vikings’ quarterback coach in 2019 and 2020 and offensive quality control coach from 2013 to 2014. In between, he was an offensive assistant in Denver (2016-2018). The New York Jets chatted with Kubiak about their offensive coordinator position one year ago but ultimately chose Kubiak’s 2022 boss, Nathaniel Hackett, for the job. After that, Sean Payton was hired in Denver, and Kubiak marinated in limbo. Not long after, he landed with Kyle Shanahan and the gang in San Francisco.
Kubiak led the Vikings offense inside an underwhelming 2021 season, an 8-9 campaign that led to the terminations of general manager Rick Spielman and the aforementioned Zimmer. Coaching staffs are rarely retained when a new coach takes over, and with Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings two years ago, Kubiak was no different.
With the Vikings in 2021, Kubiak’s offense ranked 17th leaguewide per offensive EPA/Play. Then, in Denver, the Broncos offense, plus Russell Wilson, sunk to 27th in the NFL in the same metric. The 2022 campaign was inefficient per offense in Denver, so Kubiak and his boss, Hackett, were subsequently not retained.
In San Francisco this season, the 49ers passing game ranked tops in the NFL per DVOA, with Kubiak as the passing game coordinator — which is likely why he’s received three offensive coordinator interviews.
New England should announce an OC decision in the next week or so. Kubiak will turn 37 next month. The Patriots’ offense ranked 29th per DVOA in 2023.
The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints have also reportedly interviewed Kubiak for an offensive coordinator job.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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