The Jacksonville Jaguars are building one of the youngest coaching staffs in the NFL.
Head coach Liam Coen, 39, made a significant move late Wednesday by hiring Minnesota Vikings assistant Grant Udinski as the team’s new offensive coordinator. Although Coen will continue calling plays, Udinski’s addition brings fresh energy to the Jaguars’ offense.
Udinski, 29, joins Jacksonville after spending three years with the Vikings under head coach Kevin O’Connell, where he was promoted multiple times. He began as the assistant to the head coach and special projects, then became the assistant quarterbacks coach in 2023, before stepping into the role of assistant offensive coordinator in 2024.
“Grant will bring a wealth of knowledge, energy, and a winning mindset to help lead our offense here in Jacksonville,” Coen said in a statement. “He is a rising star in this league who has been a pillar of success for the Vikings organization, and we can’t wait to have him.”
In addition to Udinski, Coen also hired Anthony Campanile, 42, from the Green Bay Packers as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator. Campanile, entering his sixth NFL season, will be taking on his first role as a defensive coordinator. This marks a significant transition for the Jaguars, who are now led by a first-time head coach, a first-time offensive coordinator, and a first-time defensive coordinator. The team also appointed Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli as executive vice president and could soon hire a first-time general manager after the Super Bowl.
Udinski, with the least NFL experience among the new hires, began his career as a college tight end before landing a graduate assistant job at Baylor under Matt Rhule in 2019. After living in his car and later moving in with Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Phil Snow, Udinski followed Rhule to the Carolina Panthers in 2020 and then to the Vikings in 2022.
Coen and O’Connell both come from the coaching tree of Sean McVay, having worked under him with the Los Angeles Rams. Under Udinski’s guidance as assistant offensive coordinator, the Vikings finished 9th in scoring and 12th in total yards in 2024. Quarterback Sam Darnold had a career year, posting 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Now, Udinski will aim to help quarterback Trevor Lawrence regain his potential after an injury-plagued season, where he threw only 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 games. The Jaguars also considered other candidates, including Washington quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and Rams assistant Nathan Scheelhaase for the offensive coordinator role.
