Update on Justin Jefferson’s trade

Keenan McCardell, the wide receivers coach for the Minnesota Vikings, stands out as one of the few coaches retained by the new regime during the organizational overhaul two years ago. Despite the chance to coach the talented Justin Jefferson, one of the league’s brightest stars, McCardell is eager to progress in his coaching career.

According to a report by KSTP’s Darren Wolfson on January 16, McCardell has aspirations of securing an offensive coordinator position to advance toward his ultimate goal of becoming a head coach. Wolfson highlighted McCardell’s readiness, both in his own perspective and that of his representation, to take on play-calling responsibilities. The envisioned timeline for McCardell’s career trajectory involves potentially becoming a head coach within the next five years. As a logical next step, McCardell is keen on ascending to the role of offensive coordinator and actively participating in play-calling duties.

Wolfson shared these insights on the “Mackey and Judd” podcast on SKOR North, emphasizing the need to observe where defensive-minded head coaching candidates land and the potential directions they may take. While no interviews have taken place yet, Wolfson encouraged keeping an eye on head coaching positions as they get filled, exploring potential logical connections that could facilitate McCardell’s elevation to the role of offensive coordinator.

A beloved figure within the team, the 54-year-old McCardell received support from key players like Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson during the organizational changes. Despite the strong partnership between the current offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and head coach Kevin O’Connell, who serves as the offensive play-caller, it appears inevitable that McCardell will seek new opportunities to further his coaching career.