Vikings interview Chris Beatty for offensive coordinator position

Kevin O’Connell is still looking for his offensive coordinator as he puts the finishing touches on his new staff with the Minnesota Vikings, and as a part of that pursuit the team brought in another new face on Saturday.

The Vikings have interviewed Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers coach Chris Beatty for their offensive coordinator position.

Beatty’s coaching career goes all the way back to the high school ranks, as he started coaching schools in Virginia in 1998. In 2004, he took Landstown High School to the Virginia State 3-A championship in a year that saw the team compile a 14-0 record and a #9 national ranking. The best player on that team was a young man named Percy Harvin, who Vikings’ fans are quite familiar with.

Beatty then moved on to the college ranks, where he has held numerous jobs. He started at Hampton University back in 2006. Here’s his full college resume:

• Hampton University (2006): Offensive coordinator/QB coach
• Northern Illinois (2007): RB coach
• West Virginia (2008 - 2010): RB coach/slot receivers coach
• Vanderbilt (2011): WR coach
• Illinois (2012): QB coach/co-offensive coordinator
• Wisconsin (2013 - 2014): WR coach
• Virginia (2015): RB coach/assistant head coach
• Maryland (2016 - 2018): WR coach/assistant head coach (2017)/co-offensive coordinator (2018)
• Pittsburgh (2019 - 2020): WR coach

Beatty’s job with the Chargers is his first at the NFL level, and he has been in that position for just one season.

Beatty is one of three names that have been rumored as in the running for the offensive coordinator position. The other two have connections to Kevin O’Connell with the Los Angeles Rams, as the team interviewed Rams’ RB coach Thomas Brown for the position and will reportedly be speaking to Rams’ TE coach Wes Phillips about the position as well. Phillips is the son of long-time NFL coach/coordinator Wade Phillips.

I’m guessing that we’ll see the Vikings hire an offensive coordinator sometime early next week so that the team can really start their preparations for the offseason and everything that comes with it.