Detroit Lakes, MN (KDLM) – The Minnesota Vikings officially announced Tuesday a significant reshaping of head coach Kevin O’Connell’s staff, bringing in three new coaches and promoting one from within as the team prepares for the 2026 season.
Former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith headlines the additions, joining the Vikings as assistant head coach. Smith, who coordinated Miami’s offense for four seasons under Mike McDaniel, was voted the league’s top offensive coordinator by players in the 2023 NFLPA survey.
He replaces Mike Pettine, who retired after the 2025 season. “Frank worked with Mike McDaniel and will help with the offense and run game planning,” according to reports. Smith’s experience with McDaniel, widely regarded as one of the NFL’s premier run-game specialists, could prove invaluable for a Vikings offense looking to improve its ground attack.
On the defensive side, Minnesota made two key additions to coordinator Brian Flores’ staff. Gerald Alexander, who spent last season as defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, takes over as defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. Alexander replaces Daronte Jones, who left to become defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. Alexander brings familiarity with Flores, having coached defensive backs under him during Flores’ tenure as head coach in Miami from 2020-2021. The 41-year-old former NFL safety begins his 10th season coaching in the league.
Ryan Nielsen joins as defensive line coach and defensive running game coordinator after spending the 2025 season as a senior defensive assistant with the Buffalo Bills. Nielsen, 46, brings extensive coordinator experience, having served in that role for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 and the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. He previously coached the defensive line for the New Orleans Saints from 2017-2022 and interviewed for Minnesota’s defensive coordinator position in 2023 before the team hired Flores.
The Vikings also promoted Keith Carter to offensive line coach, replacing Chris Kuper, whose contract was not renewed. Carter served as assistant offensive line coach for Minnesota in 2025 and brings previous experience as offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the New York Jets (2023-2024) and offensive line coach for the Tennessee Titans (2018-2022).
The coaching staff changes come as Minnesota looks to build on its defense while addressing offensive line concerns that plagued the team throughout the 2025 season, when injuries forced the Vikings to use more than 20 different offensive line combinations.
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