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NFL notebook: Vikings bring Kubiak on as adviser

[January 15, 2019] The Minnesota Vikings have hired former Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak in an advisory role, the team confirmed Monday night.

The Vikings also added Kubiak's son, Klint, as quarterbacks coach and Brian Pariani as tight ends coach. The team reportedly is retaining recently promoted Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator.

Gary Kubiak most recently was a senior personnel adviser for Denver. Klint Kubiak had been on the Broncos' coaching staff the past three seasons, and he assumed responsibilities as the primary quarterbacks coach for the final six weeks of the regular season in 2017.

Gary Kubiak, who coached the Broncos to a Super Bowl 50 title, had been scheduled to interview Tuesday for the job as offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

--Dispatched Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is set to become offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. Multiple reports said a deal with the 39-year-old Hackett was nearly finalized.

Hackett was fired by the Jaguars on Nov. 26 amidst a tailspin that included lingering injuries to running back Leonard Fournette and prompted a change at quarterback.

--Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak accepted the same position with the Broncos, Denver coach Vic Fangio announced.

With Munchak joining the Broncos, the franchise has lured its two finalists for the vacancy at head coach, which went to Fangio, formerly the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. Munchak's contract with the Steelers expired at the end of the season.

--Embattled offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will be back with the Dallas Cowboys next season if head coach Jason Garrett gets his way. However, vice president Stephen Jones said it was too soon to discuss such moves.

Garrett, in a radio interview with 105.3 FM in Dallas, said he expects no major changes to the coaching staff and plans for Linehan to return in 2019. But Jones later told the same station, "I think it's a little early to be speculating about players, coaches, anything like that other than I really do think our group overall did a nice job."

--General manager Ryan Pace said during the Chicago Bears' end-of-the-season news conference that the team intends to pick up the fifth-year option on outside linebacker Leonard Floyd's contract. Floyd, a Georgia product, was the No. 9 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.

However, the status of kicker Cody Parkey, whose 43-yard field-goal attempt that would have beaten Philadelphia in the NFC wild-card game two weekends ago was no good, is uncertain. Coach Matt Nagy was upset that Parkey appeared on NBC's "Today" show last week in the wake of the missed attempt, which was slightly tipped by an Eagles player.

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Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak speaks during the retirement announcement press conference for quarterback Peyton Manning (not pictured) at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images

"We win as a team, we lose as a team," Nagy said. "You know, I just, I didn't necessarily think that that was too much of a 'we' thing."

--Pace and Nagy did not close the door on potentially bringing in former Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt should the opportunity present itself.

Hunt was cut and placed on the commissioner's exempt list in late November after a video surfaced showing Hunt shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland apartment building in February.

Nagy spent two years as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator prior to this season, including coaching Hunt for his rookie season in 2017, when the running back led the NFL in rushing yards. Nagy talked about giving individuals "second chances, not third chances."

--Chiefs coach Andy Reid wore cargo shorts to his news conference at Arrowhead Stadium, but he might be sporting pants and a parka this weekend.

When the Chiefs host the AFC Championship Game in Kansas City on Sunday against the New England Patriots, temperatures could be downright frigid. Weather.com has a forecast range for 6:40 p.m. ET (scheduled kickoff time) in the 5-below-zero to 10-above-zero range.

--At the news conference formally introducing him as Browns head coach, Freddie Kitchens said fans can get on board or get out of the way as he takes the reins in Cleveland.

"It takes some guts to do what they did -- I know I'm not a popular choice. And I don't care," said Kitchens, who will remain the primary play-caller in Cleveland despite the addition of Todd Monken as offensive coordinator.

--Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice says disgruntled Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Antonio Brown wants to play for the San Francisco 49ers "really bad."

Rice, who made the comments Monday during a radio interview, reportedly had a FaceTime conversation with Brown on Sunday.

--The Steelers named Shaun Sarrett offensive line coach after he served as the team's assistant O-line coach last season.

Sarrett has been with the team for seven seasons, spending the first six as an offensive assistant.

--Field Level Media

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