Kevin O’Connell’s coaching tree has become a recent promotion factory, with the latest example of tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Brian Angelichio accepting a bigger role in Pittsburgh. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is set to hire Angelichio as his offensive coordinator.
Minnesota’s staff keeps thinning as Angelichio heads to the Steelers, Daronte Jones lands in Washington, and Michael Hutchings leaves for a college DC role, among others.
Defensive passing game coordinator Daronte Jones earned a promotion as the Washington Commanders’ defensive playcaller, and Angelichio will take the top offensive job in Pittsburgh.
Latest Vikings Coaching Departures Keep Piling Up
The Steelers’ coaching staff gets the Vikings’ touch.
Angelichio Nearing Deal as OC in PIT
McCarthy tabbed the Vikings for his OC. NBC Sports‘ Charean Williams wrote Tuesday, “Brian Angelichio is close to an agreement with the Steelers to become their offensive coordinator, Mark Kaboly of The Pat McAfee Show reports. Angelichio will become the Steelers’ fourth different offensive coordinator in four seasons. Head coach Mike McCarthy, though, has already said he will call the plays.”
“Angelichio has spent the past four seasons as the Vikings’ passing game coordinator and tight ends coach under Kevin O’Connell. He worked with the Packers under McCarthy from 2016-18, as the tight ends coach. Aaron Rodgers was the team’s quarterback. Angelichio also coached tight ends with the Panthers, Bucs, Browns and Commanders.”
The Steelers’ offense ranked 18th in the NFL per EPA per play in 2025.
Career to Date
Angelichio has been part of the Vikings’ staff for four seasons, joining the organization when O’Connell arrived from the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Now 53, Angelichio brings close to 30 years of coaching experience, including more than a decade at the NFL level. His pro career began in 2012, when he landed his first league job as the Buccaneers’ tight ends coach, setting the foundation for a long run on NFL coaching staffs.
Here’s his resume as he takes on his next chapter:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012–2013)
- Cleveland Browns (2014–2015)
- Green Bay Packers (2016–2018)
- Washington Commanders (2019)
- Carolina Panthers (2020–2021)
- Minnesota Vikings (2022–2025)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2026-now)
It’s the highest level of responsibility to date for Angelichio.
Steelers Depot‘s Ross McCorkle on the hire: “Like Arthur Smith before him, Angelichio comes with a tight end coaching background. He has been a tight ends coach for six different NFL teams and a few other college programs. If Kaboly is correct, the Steelers will likely announce Angelichio sometime on Wednesday as they did with the other coordinator hires. Once made official, the only position coach role to fill will be the tight ends assuming Angelichio doesn’t double up on his duties.”
“With McCarthy’s expanded coaching staff, that likely won’t be the case. While this is technically an upgrade in title for Angelichio, McCarthy already confirmed he will be calling the plays in Pittsburgh. He will likely operate in a similar capacity as he was for McConnell, now serving as McCarthy’s right hand man. Angelichio will be the eighth hire on McCarthy’s staff with ties back to his Green Bay Packers days. He served as a TEs coach under McCarthy from 2016 to 2018.”
The Cast for Angelichio
Angelichio will inherit a pretty sturdy offensive line, a huge question mark at quarterback, DK Metcalf, and Jaylen Warren. Here’s the list of offensive tools unaffected by free agency:
- Dylan Cook (OT)
- Troy Fautanu (OT)
- Zach Frazier (C)
- Mason McCormick (G)
- DK Metcalf (WR)
- Jaylen Warren (RB)
- Darnell Washington (TE)
Of course, whether Rodgers returns for Year No. 22 in the NFL will dominate all things Steelers in the coming months, but that’s to be expected with Rodgers’s unusually self-centered personality.
McCarthy said last week about his desire to have Rodgers in 2026: “I mean, definitely. I mean, obviously, I don’t know why you wouldn’t. But, you know, I think just like anything, knowing Aaron long enough, going through seasons when guys are up at that stage of their career, they need to step away and decompress. I think that’s very important. The game is so emotional.”
“What these men commit to and what they put into it. I think that time away is important. And I have spoken to Aaron, and so that’s really where we are there. But I was able to sit back and watch the games. I watched most of the Pittsburgh games on TV, and I thought he was a great asset for the team.”
Angelicihio basically has the bones of a steady offensive line waiting for him. His front office will otherwise need an impressive offseason to set him up for success.
Coaching Departures to Date
In some offseasons, the Vikings experience little to no coaching turnover. This go-round, Kevin O’Connell, Brian Flores, and Wes Phillips remain intact, but there’s significant change otherwise.
These coaches have departed so far in 2026:
- Chris Kuper (offensive line)
- Michael Hutchings (safeties)
- Marcus Dixon (defensive line)
- Mike Pettine (assistant head coach)
- Daronte Jones (defensive passing game)
- Brian Angelichio (offensive passing game)
Minnesota also fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last week.
Angelichio will turn 54 in December.
