Kevin Stefanski wound up as the runner-up for the head coaching job in Cleveland and his contract with the Vikings expired, but he won’t have to worry about finding a new home for the 2019 season.
Stefanski was promoted to offensive coordinator for the final three games of the 2018 season and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that he’ll take the job on a permanent basis now that the Browns have gone in another direction.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said the team would consider all options for the spot and Hue Jackson’s name came up in conjunction with the job, but the ultimately decided to stick with the familiar face. Stefanski was the quarterbacks coach before his in-season promotion and has been with the Vikings since 2006.
His charge for the 2019 season will be to get better production from a unit that took a step backward in quarterback Kirk Cousins’ first season with the team. If he can’t and the Vikings fall short of the playoffs again, there may be bigger changes to come in Minnesota.
