Former Vikings Coach Did the DiCaprio Meme
Channeling The Wolf of Wall Street, a 2013 film directed by Martin Scorsese, former Minnesota Vikings coach Grant Udinski told his Jacksonville Jaguars employer, “I ain’t leavin’.” Udinski withdrew his name from all head coaching posts on Tuesday, returning to Jacksonville to keep helping Trevor Lawrence and friends.
Udinski exited Cleveland’s 2026 process and remains the Jaguars’ OC, giving the moment a DiCaprio vibe.
Udinski left meat on the bone, but is basically guaranteed to be a candidate again in 2027 and beyond.
Udinski’s HC Flirtation Ends
No HC arrangement for Udinski in 2026.
Back to JAX for Udinski
Udinski got the head coach interviewing process off the ground this offseason, but it didn’t advance beyond that point.
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco wrote Tuesday, “Jacksonville offensive coordinator Grant Udinski has pulled his name from consideration for the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching position and has agreed to a new contract with the Jaguars that includes a raise for the 2026 season, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday. Udinski was still pursuing the Bills’ head coaching job and interviewed with Buffalo on Sunday, but the Bills on Tuesday promoted Joe Brady to the position.”
“Though he did not call plays in his first season with the Jaguars (head coach Liam Coen did), Udinski, 30, helped the offense finish sixth in scoring, 11th in total yards and 12th in passing yards. He also worked closely with quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who set a career high with 29 touchdown passes and 38 total touchdowns, which was third in the NFL behind Matthew Stafford (46) and the Bills’ Josh Allen (39).”
A cliche twist: for Udinski, it was an honor even to be considered.
Less Than Ideal Spot in CLE
Udinski represented a semi-heavy favorite to land the head coaching job in Cleveland, but like a few others, withdrew his name, leaving the Browns’ job still vacant.
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero said last week, “The Browns’ search process, which they have run a number of times, is unlike any other in the NFL. And it plays to certain types of candidates. They are a data-driven operation in Cleveland. And so they spend an extraordinary amount of time gathering data on their coaching candidates. You’re talking about taking a personality test. You’re talking about writing an essay.”
“You’re talking about completing homework assignments going into both the first and the second rounds of interviews. It plays toward the types of candidates that they have in the mix. Which is very, very smart people in a lot of cases that just often happen to be tall, thin guys who came from Ivy League schools, though that’s certainly not a requirement. That’s the type of candidate generally that is going to fit into a data-driven environment.”
That bizarre process prompted several withdrawals, including former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Udinski, meanwhile, will avoid the squad that is still navigating cap hell because of Deshaun Watson’s contract.
BUF Was Intriguing
On the other hand, the possibility of Udinski snagging the Bills’ opening was alluring. That team has reached the postseason every since the start of 2019, led by Josh Allen, who most agree is the best regular season quarterback in the business.
Udinski would’ve been set up for success in Buffalo — it’s easy to cook with Allen — but Buffalo kept the hire in-house, promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady to the top job.
It’s also worth noting that Udinski passed on NFL history: had he earned a head coaching job, he would’ve been the youngest in NFL history to do so.
Our Janik Eckardt noted Tuesday, “Had he landed a job, Udinski would’ve been the youngest head coach in NFL history. Given how well that worked out for the last team to set that record, it’s quite an intriguing option. The current record-holder is Rams head coach Sean McVay, who turned 31 days after his appointment. Udinski just turned 30 this month.”
Finishing What He Started
Udinski produced the NFL’s 12th-best offense in 2025 per EPA/Play, up nine spots from the Jaguars’ 19th ranking in 2024. Travis Etienne’s career experienced a rejuvenation, convenient timing for the running back who will hit free agency in 40 days.
At the top of the ticket, quarterback Trevor Lawrence encountered the best season of his career with Udinski calling the shots, delivering 4,007 passing yards, 38 total touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Lawrence finally entered a Justin Herbert category of efficiency.
Most credit Udinski with taking the lid off.
Now, Udinski will hope to finish what he started, perhaps propelling Jacksonville beyond the AFC Wildcard Round in 2026. It recently lost to those same Bills by three points at home.
Udinski will assuredly have a head coaching market next offseason, so long as something funky doesn’t beset his offense in 2026.
He turned 30 a few weeks ago.
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