The Vikings have been busy this offseason when it comes to sustaining continuity within the entrance workplace and on the sidelines. One other piece of enterprise on that entrance has been taken care of.
An extension settlement was reached on Friday with offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Phillips was set to enter the ultimate season of his deal in 2025. As an alternative, he’s set to stay in place for years to return.
From 2019-21, Phillips and Kevin O’Connell labored collectively on the Rams’ workers (after beforehand doing the identical in Washington). When the latter landed the Vikings’ head teaching gig, the previous adopted him to Minnesota in a transfer that got here as little shock. O’Connell has known as performs throughout his time on the helm, and there’s no motive to anticipate that to vary within the wake of his extension. Nonetheless, Phillips can be counted on to stay a key determine on the group’s workers.
His 2022 rent marked Phillips’ first OC alternative on the faculty or NFL ranges. He has loved a powerful run to this point, with the Vikings posting a top-10 end in factors twice over the previous three seasons. The 46-year-old obtained a three-game suspension from the team within the wake of a December 2023 DWI arrest. Phillips returned to his duties upon serving that punishment, and he’ll keep in place effectively past 2025, given Friday’s information.
O’Connell received Coach of the 12 months honors in 2024 and has earned a popularity as one of many league’s prime offensive minds since taking cost of the Vikings. Expectations will stay excessive in his case for the approaching marketing campaign, one during which second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy can be tasked with dealing with beginning duties. Having missed his total rookie season on account of damage, a steep improvement curve can be wanted if the Vikings are to duplicate their 14-3 season from final yr.
Phillips can be a key determine in that respect whereas additionally serving to to information an offense that includes a number of additions up entrance and which returns a powerful array of skill-position gamers. One other productive outing from the unit can be key, and matching it earlier success will assist justify the Vikings’ dedication to conserving O’Connell and one in every of his most vital assistants within the fold. Per Goessling, O’Connell advocated for his workers to obtain new offers as soon as his extension was in place.
Since then, normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has also been extended. The 2026 offseason as soon as loomed as a time when loads of notable adjustments might have taken place within the group, however as a substitute, the Vikings have elected to maintain lots of their core staffers within the fold for the foreseeable future. As soon as his new deal is official, Phillips will be part of the checklist of names included in that effort.
