The Vikings on Monday announced Wes Phillips as their next offensive coordinator. Phillips was officially introduced in Minnesota today.
Phillips departs for Minnesota after spending the past three seasons on the Los Angeles coaching staff. He coached the tight ends in each of those three seasons and added pass game coordinator to his duties in 2021.
Under Phillips' guidance, tight end Tyler Higbee matched his career-high with five touchdown catches this season, adding 51 receptions for 560 yards during the regular season. In the playoffs, tight ends Kendall Blanton and Brycen Hopkins each stepped up to deliver important performances – Blanton in the NFC Championship game with five catches for 57 yards after Higbee left the game with a knee injury, while Hopkins had four receptions for 47 yards in their Super Bowl LVI victory over the Bengals.
Phillips also contributed to a Rams offense that finished fifth in passing yards per game (273.1) in the regular season.
In 2020, Higbee and Gerald Everett finished fourth and fifth on the team, respectively with 521 and 417 receiving yards. In 2019, Phillips helped Higbee set single-season franchise records for both receptions (69) and receiving yards (734) by a tight end. Higbee also became the first tight end since 1970 to have four-consecutive games of seven-plus catches for 100-plus yards.
