Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay holds the NFL record as the youngest head coach in the league. He was 30 years old when the Rams hired him in 2017.
Now, ownership of that drive could be in jeopardy. The Seattle Seahawks have requested to interview Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski for their offensive coordinator position, according to NFL Media.
One might wonder: How could Udinski even be in the running to be an NFL offensive coordinator at the age of 28? Here’s a look at their path.
Udinski played four years of college football, one at Davidson College as a tight end (2015) and three at Towson as a defensive end (2016-18). Once his football playing days were over, he spent the 2019 season at Baylor under then-head coach Matt Rhule as a graduate assistant. Udinski then followed Rhule to the NFL when he was hired to be the head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
He began working as an assistant coach during the first two years of Rhule’s tenure in Carolina (2020-21) before joining the Vikings in 2022 (current Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell’s first year), as assistant head/special coach. projects. That led to a promotion to its current title ahead of the 2023 season.
Udinski was part of an offensive team that helped Sam Darnold throw for 35 touchdowns, tied for the second most in a season in franchise history, while leading the NFL this season in completions (34) and passing percentage. complete (49.3%). on throws of more than 20 air yards.
Should the Seahawks hire him to serve as Mike Macdonald’s offensive coordinator, Udinski would be in line to work with a talented offensive core that includes Pro Bowlers quarterback Geno Smith, wide receiver DK Metcalf and wide receiver Tyler Lockett along with WR Jaxon Smith. Njigba and running back Kenneth Walker III.
An opportunity to coach a core of playmakers like that could end up sending Udinski on a McVay-like trajectory to becoming a head coach in his early thirties. If you accept the interview and ultimately get the job, of course.
