Every year, The Athletic rolls out its "NFL 40 under 40" article that highlights "football's youngster power brokers who are changing the game on and off the field."
The Athletic's Lindsay Jones posted the 40 under 40 list Monday morning and included Vikings Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak under the Assistant Coaches section. Kubiak, who will turn 35 in February, is entering his first season in the role. Jones wrote:
Coaching trees are a fixture of the NFL, and Kubiak is, well, a literal one. He takes over as the Vikings offensive coordinator and play-caller following the retirement of his father, Gary Kubiak, who was so influential in the Shanahan style of West Coast offense that has taken over the NFL. This won't necessarily be an easy spot for Klint, who will be running the Vikings offense during a critical year for quarterback Kirk Cousins while also overseeing the development of rookie Kellen Mond.
Kubiak was the only current Vikings name on Jones' list, but other names will stand out.
View photos of the Vikings 2021 coaching staff.

Head Coach Mike Zimmer

Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Andre Patterson

Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak

Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Adam Zimmer

Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken

Senior Offensive Advisor Rick Dennison

Quarterbacks Coach Andrew Janocko

Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell

Tight Ends Coach Brian Pariani

Running Backs Coach Kennedy Polamalu

Offensive Line coach Phil Rauscher

Offensive Quality Control/Assistant Wide Receivers Christian Jones

Offensive Quality Control/Assistant Running Backs Coach AC Patterson

Senior Defensive Assistant Paul Guenther

Assistant Defensive Line Coach Imarjaye Albury Sr.

Defensive Backs Coach Karl Scott

Assistant Defensive Backs/Safeties Coach Roy Anderson

Asst. Offensive Line Coach Ben Steele

Assistant Special Teams Coach Robert Steeples

Defensive Quality Control/Assistant Linebackers Coach Sam Siefkes

Head Strength and Conditioning Josh Hingst

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Derik Keyes
Jones also pointed to Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and Broncos Executive Director of Football Operations/Special Adviser to the GM Kelly Kleine. At just 30 years old, Kleine was hired by Broncos General Manager George Paton after his transition from longtime Assistant General Manager in Minnesota.
Kleine did a little bit of everything, from media relations to area scouting, in her nine years climbing the ranks inside the Minnesota Vikings front office. When the Broncos hired George Paton away from Minnesota earlier this year to be Denver's GM, he soon asked Kleine to join him. She is now the highest-ranking female football executive in Broncos history and will be involved in both pro personnel (evaluating free agents) and college scouting.
"She's a tremendous resource for our personnel department," Paton told Jones. "In just a short time with the Broncos, Kelly has made an immediate impact working with our scouting staff and various football support departments. Kelly's work ethic, organizational skills and ability to collaborate with so many different areas of football operations make her an invaluable part of our staff."
The Vikings will host the Browns at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 4, welcoming Stefanski (39), who spent 14 seasons as an assistant in Minnesota before being hired by Cleveland after the 2019 campaign.
View photos of the Vikings 53-man roster as of Jan. 5, 2022.

1 K Greg Joseph

1 K Greg Joseph

3 P Jordan Berry

16 P Jordan Berry

7 CB Patrick Peterson

7 CB Patrick Peterson

8 QB Kirk Cousins

8 QB Kirk Cousins

11 QB Kellen Mond

11 QB Kellen Mond

12 WR Dede Westbrook

12 WR Dede Westbrook

14 QB Sean Mannion

14 QB Sean Mannion

15 WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

15 WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

17 WR K.J. Osborn

17 WR K.J. Osborn

18 WR Justin Jefferson

18 WR Justin Jefferson

20 CB Harrison Hand

20 CB Harrison Hand

22 S Harrison Smith

22 S Harrison Smith

23 S Xavier Woods

23 S Xavier Woods

24 CB Mackensie Alexander

24 CB Mackensie Alexander

2 RB Alexander Mattison

2 RB Alexander Mattison

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

3 CB Cameron Dantzler

27 CB Cameron Dantzler

29 CB Kris Boyd

29 CB Kris Boyd

30 FB C.J. Ham

30 FB C.J. Ham

31 RB Wayne Gallman

31 RB Wayne Gallman

4 RB Dalvin Cook

33 RB Dalvin Cook

35 TE Luke Stocker

35 TE Luke Stocker

41 LB Chazz Surratt

41 LB Chazz Surratt

42 LS Andrew DePaola

42 LS Andrew DePaola

44 S Josh Metellus

44 S Josh Metellus

45 LB Troy Dye

45 LB Troy Dye

48 LB Blake Lynch

48 LB Blake Lynch

52 G Wyatt Davis

52 G Wyatt Davis

55 LB Anthony Barr

55 LB Anthony Barr

56 C Garrett Bradbury

56 C Garett Bradbury

58 DT Michael Pierce

58 DT Michael Pierce

59 LB Nick Vigil

59 LB Nick Vigil

64 T Blake Brandel

64 T Blake Brandel

69 T Rashod Hill

69 T Rashod Hill

74 G Olisaemeka Udoh

74 G Olisaemeka Udoh

75 T Brian O'Neill

75 T Brian O'Neill

78 G Dakota Dozier

78 G Dakota Dozier

83 TE Tyler Conklin

83 TE Tyler Conklin

85 WR Dan Chisena

85 WR Dan Chisena

90 DT Sheldon Richardson

90 DT Sheldon Richardson

92 DT James Lynch

92 DT James Lynch

91 OLB Patrick Jones II

91 DE Patrick Jones II

94 DT Dalvin Tomlinson

94 DT Dalvin Tomlinson

96 DT Armon Watts

96 DT Armon Watts

98 DE D.J. Wonnum

98 DE D.J. Wonnum
CBS Sports spotlights Vikings Preseason 1 loss
Minnesota's first preseason game didn't go well, resulting in a 33-6 loss to the Broncos Saturday afternoon when the Vikings sat 31 players.
CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo covered "NFL preseason Week 1 winners and losers," and he put Minnnesota in the latter category. DeArdo wrote:
[Vikings Head] Coach Mike Zimmer pretty much nailed his assessment of his team halfway through Saturday's 33-6 home loss to the Broncos. While he did receive a 100-yard rushing yard rushing effort from A.J. Rose, Jr., Zimmer's team allowed 33 points and nearly 400 yards, completed just 11 of [its] 26 pass attempts and were [0-for-3] in the red zone.
DeArdo referenced Zimmer's halftime comments to Greg Coleman:
"It was a very poor performance. We didn't tackle well. We made the wrong checks on defense with the safeties. We threw an interception for a touchdown. Go three-and-out on the first two series. Terrible punts. So, other than that, it's been great."