Vikings Reach Agreement To Keep OL Coach Rick Dennison With Team

Update:

The Vikings announced they have named OL coach Rick Dennison as a senior offensive advisor as a compromise over his vaccination status this year. 

The #Vikings have named Phil Rauscher as Offensive Line Coach and added Ben Steele as the team’s Asst. Offensive Line Coach.

Due to the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols, the team has agreed to terms with former Offensive Line Coach Rick Dennison to serve as Sr. Offensive Advisor. pic.twitter.com/QwE0BptGeR

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 27, 2021

Minnesota moved assistant OL coach Phil Rauscher to the primary position and filled his role by hiring Ben Steele. 

According to Pro Football Talk, the Vikings and OL coach Rick Dennison have reached an agreement that keeps him with Minnesota. 

Dennison had declined to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and is not allowed to work hands-on with players as a result under the league’s protocols for Tier 1 personnel. 

However, PFT says Dennison will stay with the team and the two sides will comply with whatever protocols apply for whatever vaccinated status he’s in. 

Vikings assistant OL coach Phil Rauscher will presumably still have a large role. 

Dennison, 63, began his NFL coaching career with the Broncos as an offensive assistant back in 1995. He spent 14 years in Denver before joining the Texans as their offensive coordinator.

Dennison spent one year with the Ravens as their QBs coach before returning to the Broncos as their offensive coordinator in 2015.

The Bills hired Dennison as their offensive coordinator last year. However, they fired him after just one season in Buffalo. He was hired by the Jets in 2018 as their OL coach and run game coordinator before joining the Vikings to the same position a year later.