Vikings Secure Future with Another Extension
The Minnesota Vikings’ to-do list has involved quite a few contract extensions as of late, securing assets for the short- and long-term future.
The Vikings have racked up extension after extension, and another one arrived last week.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips was the latest to receive a new contract, now connected to Minnesota indefinitely.
Phillips came aboard in Minnesota at the dawn of the Kevin O’Connell era in 2022, and he’s not going anywhere.
Wes Phillips’ Contract Reportedly Extended
Most fans believed Phillips would probably ink an extension sooner or later, and that came to fruition on Friday.
NBC Sports‘ Charean Williams wrote, “The Vikings agreed to a contract extension with offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports. Phillips was entering the final year of his deal, and the extension keeps him under contract through 2026. The team signed General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell to new deals earlier this offseason.”
“Phillips followed O’Connell to Minnesota in 2022 when the Vikings hired O’Connell as their head coach. Phillips was one of O’Connell’s first hires, giving Phillips an offensive coordinator job for the first time.”
Minnesota will keep the same offensive braintrust intact for four consecutive seasons.
More Coaching Continuity
O’Connell received a new contract right away in the offseason, the first item on the January to-do list. In the weeks to follow, defensive coordinator Brian Flores did not earn a head coaching job, and aside from assistant quarterback coach Grant Udinski, who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars and an offensive coordinator position, the Vikings will maintain full coaching continuity in 2025.
The same core head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and special teams coach will have been in charge from 2023 to 2025 — and possibly beyond.
A Barrage of Extensions
Minnesota has handed out new deals all over the place since late April. Outside linebacker and fan favorite Andrew Van Ginkel received an extra year and $23 million on his bottom line. Two and a half weeks ago, Minnesota’s ownership locked general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in for the long haul.
TE2 Josh Oliver received a new deal last week worth $23 million over three years.
And now — Phillips.
The Everlasting Wes Phillips Mystery
It’s worth noting that there’s a running joke about Phillips akin to Mike Zimmer’s defensive coordinator(s) from 2014 to 2021. Because Zimmer was so front and center and hands-on with the defense, fans often wondered what the defensive coordinator actually did.
Similarly, O’Connell runs the Vikings’ offense and calls the plays, causing some to wonder about Phillips’ exact role.
While the questions may be unfair to Phillips, they’ll remain and are not uncommon when a head coach takes full responsibility for one side of the ball.
Star Tribune’s Take on the Deal
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling added context on Phillips’ new agreement, “The 46-year-old Phillips first coached with O’Connell in Washington, before helping O’Connell make the connection with Sean McVay that led to the Rams hiring O’Connell as their offensive coordinator in 2020.”
“Phillips was the tight ends coach on the 2021 Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI, and he joined O’Connell on his first Vikings staff days after Los Angeles won the championship.”
Minnesota’s offense ranks 13th per EPA/Play since the start of 2022 when O’Connell and Phillips began calling the shots.
Goessling continued, “Phillips helped oversee an offense that scored the ninth-most points in the NFL last season, as Sam Darnold threw 35 touchdowns for a 14-3 team that became one of the surprise stories of the 2024 season. Eight days after the Vikings’ season concluded with a NFC wild-card playoff loss to the Rams, they agreed to a new deal with O’Connell through the 2029 season.”
“The deal with Phillips extends the tenure of one of O’Connell’s key confidants, who helps organize the team’s game plan during the week and provides a crucial voice for the coach as he calls plays on Sundays. Phillips turned down a job calling plays for the Chargers after the 2022 season, deciding to stay in Minnesota on O’Connell’s staff.”
Safety Josh Metellus, in all likelihood, is the next man up for a new contract, which could materialize any day.
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