Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
To each their own.
That’s Minnesota Vikings fans’ message to the Chicago Bears, a club that plans to interview Klint Kubiak for its open offensive coordinator position.
Chicago fired existing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy this week and is conducting a full search for his replacement. Kubiak, formerly Minnesota’s offensive bossman in 2021, has tossed his hat in the ring.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweeted Thursday, “Bears plan to interview 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak for their OC job, per sources.”
The 36-year-old serves as the current San Francisco 49ers’ passing game coordinator and held the same job in Denver last season during the failed Nathaniel Hackett experiment. Before that, Kubiak offensively coordinated the Vikings for one season, 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).
The New York Jets chatted with Kubiak about their offensive coordinator position last January 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.
Vikings fans aimed ire at Kubiak in 2021 for lackluster offensive performance, so they used social media to chuckle at the Bears’ interview choice.
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 not efficient per offense in Denver, so Kubiak and his boss, Hackett, were subsequently not retained.
Kubiak is the son of former Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. The father Kubiak led the Broncos to a Super Bowl triumph in 2015 as head coach.
Chicago will also interview Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron for the same position.
The Bears’ offense ranked 21st in the NFL per EPA/Play in 2023 under the now-terminated Getsy. The group improved down the stretch, but not enough to keep Getsy in charge. Chicago also has an almighty decision this offseason — keep Justin Fields for Year No. 4 or trade him and draft Caleb Williams (USC) or Drake Maye (North Carolina) with the 1st overall pick.
Kubiak will turn 37 in five weeks.
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.