Vikings Hiring Keenan McCardell as Wide Receivers Coach
The Vikings are hiring Keenan McCardell as their next wide receivers coach, as first reported by Eugene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union and confirmed by several Twin Cities reporters. McCardell is a former Pro Bowl receiver who played 17 seasons in the NFL and was most recently the Jaguars' receivers coach for four seasons. He also coached Stefon Diggs during Diggs' final season at Maryland.
This is a fantastic hire for Minnesota. As Frenette mentions, McCardell will get to mentor Justin Jefferson and help the young star build on his record-setting rookie season. He'll also get to work with Adam Thielen and the rest of a wide receiver room that could use additional depth behind its fantastic starting duo.
The Vikings already have a wide receivers coach on their staff in Andrew Janocko, who did well in that role in 2020 after three seasons as an assistant offensive line coach. But McCardell has a much deeper background as a receivers coach, and there had already been rumblings that the Vikings would be shuffling some of their offensive staff in 2021. This move presumably means Janocko, who the Vikings really like, will be moving to a different role. If Klint Kubiak is promoted to offensive coordinator after the retirement of his father Gary Kubiak, Janocko would likely take over as quarterbacks coach. The less likely possibility is that if offensive line coach Rick Dennison is named OC, Janocko could take over that job.
McCardell is coming off of a strong four-year run in Jacksonville. He helped turn another LSU product, D.J. Chark, into a Pro Bowler in just his second season, and also worked with other solid young receivers like Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, Keenan Cole, and 2020 rookies Laviska Shenault Jr. and Collins Johnson. McCardell wasn't retained by new Jaguars coach Urban Meyer, but that doesn't mean he didn't do his job at a very high level during his time there.
Prior to his four years in Jacksonville, McCardell was the receivers coach at Maryland for two seasons (2014-15). In 2014, he worked closely with Diggs, the former Vikings fifth-round pick who has turned into one of the league's best receivers. Diggs has frequently credited McCardell's coaching and advice as playing a big role in helping him get to where he is. Prior to that, he had his first stint as an NFL receivers coach in Washington from 2010 to 2011.
McCardell has a ton of knowledge about the position from his experience as a coach but also from his 17 years playing in the NFL, where he racked up over 11,000 yards for six different teams. Despite starring at UNLV, he wasn't taken until the 12th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. McCardell's career didn't break out until he signed with the Jaguars in 1996. He made the Pro Bowl during his first season in Jacksonville and exceeded 1,100 yards in four of his six seasons as a Jaguar. McCardell then had another Pro Bowl season with the Buccaneers in 2003 before making stops in San Diego and Washington to finish his career. He ranks 35th in NFL history in receiving yards.
Again, this is an excellent hire for the Vikings. McCardell not only played the position at a high level, he did a great job with the Jaguars and is generally beloved by his former players.
Could McCardell's presence influence the Vikings' search for additional depth at receiver this offseason? Former Jags Cole and Conley are both free agents who could potentially be good fits in Minnesota. That's something to watch going forward.
Ultimately, this hire is all about finding someone who can form a strong relationship with Jefferson and help him continue to grow and consistently be one of the best receivers in the NFL. It looks like the Vikings found the perfect person to do that.
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