Packers-Vikings Q&A: Evaluating Kevin Stefanski as a head-coaching candidate

On Monday, the Green Bay Packers see the division-rival Minnesota Vikings for the second time in 2019. Ted Glover of Daily Norseman kindly volunteered to answer our questions about the Vikings and provide some insight into their strengths and weaknesses.

APC: Has Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski done enough in 2019 to land a head-coaching opportunity this offseason, and how would Mike Zimmer handle hiring his fifth offensive coordinator since arriving in Minnesota?

That’s a good question. I believe Stefanski will definitely be a head coach in the NFL and I think he’ll get some interviews, but I don’t know that he’ll land a job this offseason. I know Zimmer is really happy with how the offensive coaching staff is set up, with Gary Kubiak essentially being an assistant head coach that runs the offensive side of the ball for Zimmer and collaborates with Stefanski in designing the weekly gameplan, with Stefanski calling the plays from the sideline on game day.

If Stefanski does leave for a head coaching gig elsewhere, I think the easiest solution to keep as much of the current structure in place would be to leave Kubiak in his current role, slide Kubiak’s son Klint over from QB coach to offensive coordinator, and hire a new QB coach. Kubiak the elder had to retire because of health issues, so I don’t know if the added grind of becoming a coordinator again is something he can physically do or not. Although former OC and Giants coach Pat Shurmur is rumored to be on the hotseat, I’m not sure if a guy with that much experience would want to share duties and essentially be a subordinate to a guy he probably views as a peer.

We’d like to thank Ted. Be sure to check out the rest of our Q&A session with Daily Norseman over the course of the week as well as our Q&A session over there. As always, keep your internet machines tuned to Acme Packing Company this Monday for our comprehensive game-day coverage of Packers versus Vikings.