Following their Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged the need for the Minnesota Vikings to strengthen their interior offensive line. While they haven’t yet added new players through free agency, the team has made a key coaching addition to help develop the unit.
On Tuesday, the Vikings announced the hiring of Keith Carter as assistant offensive line coach. Carter brings valuable experience, having spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets as their offensive line coach and run game coordinator. While the Jets didn’t rank near the top in total rushing yards, they averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 2023 (14th) and 4.3 in 2024 (16th). Though New York often played from behind, Carter’s experience could help Minnesota’s ground game become more efficient and help control the clock.
This will be Carter’s 13th year in the NFL. He began his pro coaching career with the Seattle Seahawks as an offensive quality control coach (2012–13), earning a Super Bowl ring in his second season. After a brief stint at San Jose State, he returned to the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons as assistant offensive line coach (2015–16), helping guide a rushing attack that ranked fifth in the league and reached the Super Bowl.
Carter also spent time as the Falcons’ running backs coach in 2017 before joining the Tennessee Titans (2018–22) as their offensive line coach. During his time in Tennessee, the Titans consistently ranked among the top rushing offenses, including a second-place finish in 2020.
Now teaming up with Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper, Carter will aim to help elevate Minnesota’s line and running game — which could be the key to building on their 14-3 record from the 2024 season.
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