Vikings Hiring Brian Angelichio as Tight Ends Coach, Replacing Brian Pariani

The Vikings are hiring former Panthers tight ends coach Brian Angelichio to the same position on Kevin O'Connell's staff, according to The Athletic's Joe Person.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Angelichio will also been the Vikings' passing game coordinator. It'll be his first time holding that title in the NFL.

Angelichio replaces Brian Pariani, who had been Minnesota's TE coach for the past three seasons. Pariani came to the Vikings because of Gary Kubiak and Rick Dennison — two people he's been coaching with for several decades — so it was always safe to assume he wouldn't be retained on O'Connell's staff.

Angelichio, 49, has been a tight ends coach in the NFL since 2012. Before that, he came up through the college ranks with DIII Ithaca College, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers.

Minnesota will be Angelichio's sixth stop as an NFL TEs coach, following Tampa Bay (2012-13), Cleveland (2014-15), Green Bay (2016-18), Washington (2019), and Carolina (2020-21). He overlapped with O'Connell in Washington and Cleveland, which explains this hire.

The tight ends Angelichio has worked with during his NFL coaching career include Dallas Clark, Tim Wright, Jordan Cameron, Gary Barnidge, Jared Cook, Martellus Bennett, and Jimmy Graham. Barnidge had a 1,000-yard season in 2015.

In Minnesota, Angelichio will be working with fourth-year TE Irv Smith Jr., who is entering a contract year as he returns from a torn meniscus that cost him all of the 2021 season. Tyler Conklin and Chris Herndon are unrestricted free agents, while the Vikings also have 2021 fifth-round pick Zach Davidson, Ben Ellefson, and Luke Stocker on their offseason roster.

Here's what the Vikings' expected new coaching staff looks like as of Monday, February 14. None of the hires are official yet.

Head coach: Kevin O'Connell
Offensive coordinator: Wes Phillips
Quarterbacks:
Assistant quarterbacks: Jerrod Johnson
Running backs/run game coordinator: Curtis Modkins
Wide receivers: Keenan McCardell
Tight ends/passing game coordinator: Brian Angelichio
Offensive line: Chris Kuper
Defensive coordinator: Ed Donatell
Defensive line: Chris Rumph
Linebackers:
Defensive backs:
Senior defensive advisor (or similar title): Mike Pettine
Special teams coordinator:

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