Though the Vikings managed to keep defensive coordinator Brian Flores, they did not get out of the hiring cycle unscathed.

That’s because the Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Wednesday night that they have hired rising star Grant Udinski as their new offensive coordinator.

It’s a big jump for Udinski, 29, after previously serving as the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Vikings alongside quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.

“He is a rising star in this league that has been a pillar of success for the Vikings organization,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said in a statement. “We can’t wait to have him lead our offense.”

This is a big loss for the Vikings. The amount of work that head coach Kevin O’Connell was willing to put on Udinski’s plate spoke to how much he believed in him.

In his most recent role, Udinski worked very closely with veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, who, maybe not so coincidentally, went on to experience undoubtedly the best campaign of his career.

Some other notable names that Udinski has worked with include veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, backup quarterback Nick Mullens, and journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs.

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