Vikings Announce Three Coaching Hires, One Promotion

The following are the new coaches Minnesota officially hired on Tuesday:

1. Former Dolphins OC Frank Smith as assistant HC
2. Former Steelesr DBs coach Gerald Alexander as defensive pass game coordinator/DBs coach
3. Former Bills senior defensive assistant Ryan Nielsen as defensive run game coordinator

Additionally, the Vikings have promoted assistant OL coach Keith Carter to OL coach.

Smith, 44, began his coaching career at Miami (Ohio) as a graduate assistant back in 2004. He later spent four years at Baylor before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Saints.

Smith had stints with the Bears and Raiders before the Chargers hired him as their run game coordinator/OL coach in 2021. He left to take the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator job in 2022.

In 2025, the Dolphins’ offense ranked 25th in points, 26th in total yards, 13th in rushing yards and 25th in passing yards.