Saints on Deck to Hire Former Vikings Coach
After the San Francisco 49ers win or lose Sunday’s Super Bowl, former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will retake his old job — with a Vikings rival, the New Orleans Saints.
Saints on Deck to Hire Former Vikings Coach
Kubiak is currently the 49ers’ passing game coordinator and will hope his team can down the dynastic Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, a daunting task indeed.
But thereafter, Kubiak will accept a promotion, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Saints are working to hire 49ers’ passing game specialist Klint Kubiak as their offensive coordinator, per sources. Kubiak would join the Saints after he coaches his final game with the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. No deal can be finalized until after the game,” Schefter posted on X three days ago.
The hire will make it four jobs in the last four seasons for Kubiak, the son of Super Bowl-winning head coach Gary Kubiak. The father Kubiak was also attached to the Vikings’ coaching staff from 2019 to 2020.
New Orleans parted ways with 2023 offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. on January 16th after a disappointing 9-8 playoffs-less season. ESPN reported three weeks ago that Kubiak was in line to interview with the Bears for their offensive coordinator. He also chatted with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers about OC gigs during the 2024 coaching carousel. During the failed Nathaniel Hackett experiment, Kubiak held the same job in Denver last season (passing game coordinator). Before that, Kubiak offensively coordinated the Vikings for one season in 2021. which was Mike Zimmer’s final in Minnesota.
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).
Kubiak led the Vikings offense inside the aforementioned 2021 season, an 8-9 campaign that led to the terminations of general manager Rick Spielman and Mike 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. Vikings fans aimed ire at Kubiak in 2021 for lackluster offensive performance and were subsequently not sad to see him leave two years ago.
With San Francisco, the 49ers passing attack ranks tops in the NFL per DVOA — probably why Kubiak will lead the Saints offense in 2024.
As the Vikings’ offensive bossman 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. Under Carmichael Jr., Saints quarterback Derek Carr passed for 3,878 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He ranked 15th leaguewide per EPA+CPOE. Kubiak will hope to drag that mark closer to the Top 10.
Kubiak will turn 37 later this month. The Saints’ offense ranked 17th per DVOA in 2023.
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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