Kevin O'Connell, Vikings Fill Out Coaching Staff With Several Big Hires

The Vikings have made several key hires to assistant positions on Kevin O'Connell's coaching staff, according to reports from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport on Saturday morning.

On the offensive side, former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith is coming aboard as assistant head coach, a role previously held by Mike Pettine. Smith will help with the entire offense but should specifically provide a boost to the run game, which has been an issue throughout O'Connell's tenure. The Vikings are also promoting assistant offensive line coach Keith Carter to the OL coach position, which was previously help by Chris Kuper.

#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell continues to remodel his staff, adding former #Dolphins OC Frank Smith as assistant head coach and Keith Carter as offensive line coach, per me and @TomPelissero.

Smith worked with Mike McDaniel and will help with the offense and run game planning. pic.twitter.com/hSKdooGwyj
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2026

On the other side of the ball, the Vikings have added former Falcons and Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen to Brian Flores' staff as defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator. Marcus Dixon was previously the DL coach in Minnesota, but he was one of a few assistants whose contract expired. Also, rising Steelers assistant Gerald Alexander has been hired as defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Both of those titles were held by Daronte Jones, who was hired as the Commanders' DC recently.

More additions for the #Vikings: Gerald Alexander will become the defensive pass game coordinator and DBs coach, while former #Jaguars DC Ryan Nielsen comes on as D-line coach and defensive run game coordinator, per me and @TomPelissero.

Daronte Jones left to be Commanders DC. pic.twitter.com/lctod9azP1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2026

To recap:

Frank Smith: Assistant head coach (prev. Mike Pettine)
Keith Carter: Offensive line coach (prev. Chris Kuper)
Ryan Nielsen: DL coach/run game coordinator (prev. Marcus Dixon)
Gerald Alexander: DBs coach/pass game coordinator (prev. Daronte Jones)

Smith, 44, is a Milwaukee native who got his first NFL job in 2010 as assistant OL coach with the Saints under Sean Payton. He was then a tight ends coach with the Bears and Raiders for several years before spending one year as the Chargers' OL coach and run game coordinator and four years as the Dolphins' OC under Mike McDaniel — who is known around the league for his run game designs. Smith was speculated as an option for the Vikings' OL coach vacancy, but instead joins the staff in a different capacity.

Carter, 43, entered the NFL in 2012 with the Seahawks. He coached under Kyle Shanahan with the Falcons in the mid-2010s and was then the OL coach for the Titans (2018-22) and Jets (2023-24). He was also the run game coordinator for those two seasons in New York. Carter has a reputation for being tough on players, but the Vikings clearly liked what he brought as assistant OL coach in 2025.

Nielsen, 46, is a former USC defensive tackle who coached at the college level for a long time before joining the Saints as their defensive line coach in 2017. He held that role for six years and was promoted to assistant head coach in 2021 and co-defensive coordinator in 2022. Nielsen was the Falcons' defensive coordinator in 2023 but lasted only one season. Notably, he also interviewed with the Vikings that year before they hired Flores. He was the Jaguars' DC in 2024 and spent last season as a senior defensive assistant with the Bills. Nielsen has a lot of experience coaching defensive lines.

Alexander, 41, starred at Boise State and was a second-round pick by the Lions in 2007. He spent five years playing in the NFL with five different teams. Alexander then coached in college for a while before being hired as the Dolphins' DBs coach in 2020. He was with the Steelers for a couple seasons, spent one with the Raiders, and then returned to Pittsburgh last year as DBs coach.

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