Gary Kubiak may be on the verge of heading into retirement and leaving a vacancy in the Vikings’ offensive coordinator office, according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
“I am told that Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is leaning towards retirement. This is something that has been on Kubiak’s mind for some time now,” said Pelissero. “He may not make the final decision for several days or even weeks down the line, but of course Kubiak retired once already as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. People that know him believe that it is headed that way again.”
From The Aftermath on @nflnetwork: #Vikings offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is leaning towards retirement — a decision that would force Mike Zimmer to seek his sixth OC in six years. pic.twitter.com/IlsMQ7u6w0
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 4, 2021
If Kubiak retires, it will open the door for the sixth offensive coordinator under Zimmer, who is entering his eighth year in 2021. Offensive coordinators under Zimmer:
- 2020: Gary Kubiak
- 2019: Kevin Stefanski
- 2018: John DeFilippo
- 2017: Pat Shurmur
- 2016: Norv Turner, Pat Shurmer
- 2015: Norv Turner
- 2014: Norv Turner
Turner was calling plays in 2014 and 2015 before stepping away from the team midway through the 2016 season, at which point Shurmur took over and kept the job through the 2017 season. DeFelippo lasted one year with Zimmer before being fired, followed by one year of Stefanski, who was hired as head coach of the Browns, helping them snap a 17-year playoff drought.
Pelissero said a possible replacement for Kubiak could be his son, Klint Kubiak, who has been the team’s quarterbacks coach the past two years.
