The Minnesota Vikings named Charlie Frye a defensive assistant on March 6, 2025. Frye, who played six seasons in the NFL as a quarterback from 2005-10, spent the past two seasons (2023-24) at Florida Atlantic University as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. He brings more than a decade of coaching experience spanning the high school, collegiate and professional ranks to Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's staff.
During his first season at Florida Atlantic, Frye helped the Owls improve from 97th nationally in completion percentage in 2022 (57.4%) to 31st in 2023 (64.3%), despite starting QB Casey Thompson suffering a season-ending injury in Week 3. WR LaJohntay Wester led the conference in receiving yards (1,168), receiving yards per game (97.3) and receptions per game (9.0) in Frye's offense in 2023, and his receptions per game ranked second nationally.
Frye entered the NFL coaching ranks in 2021 with the Miami Dolphins as their quarterbacks coach, where he worked under Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores, who was the Dolphins head coach. After one season in Miami, Frye joined Penn State's coaching staff in 2022 as an offensive analyst and analytics coordinator.
Following three seasons at Florida as a consultant and the director of player development (2015-17) and one season at Ashland University as wide receivers coach (2018), Frye was named the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Central Michigan in 2019. In two seasons with the Chippewas, Frye coached two student-athletes to First-Team All-MAC honors and three players to second-team all-conference accolades. RB Lew Nichols III, who was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round (235th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, was named the 2020 MAC Freshman of the Year.
In 2019, Central Michigan led the MAC with 6,599 yards of total offense, including a conference-leading 3,816 passing yards, and averaged 30.9 points per game, more than double that of the 2018 unit (15.0). The offense also ranked second in the conference in passing yards per game (254.4) and had two running backs surpass 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in program history (Kobe Lewis and Jonathan Ward). Frye helped the Chippewas capture the MAC West Division title, earn a spot in the MAC Championship Game for the first time since 2009 and a berth in the New Mexico Bowl.
Frye began his coaching career as offensive coordinator at Jones High School in Orlando, Fla., (2012-13) and Wekiva High School in Apopka, Fla., (2014-15). He also served as a coach at Nike's Elite 11/The Opening Combine high school quarterback competitions from 2013-17.
Originally selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (67th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft, Frye spent time with three NFL teams during his playing career, including the Browns (2005-07), Seattle Seahawks (2007-08) and Oakland Raiders (2009-10). He appeared in 26 games, making 23 starts, and totaled 4,154 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, adding 347 rushing yards and four scores on 72 carries.
Frye played his collegiate career at Akron from 2001-04, starting 44 of the 46 games he played and setting school records in career completions (913), attempts (1,436), passing yards (11,049), touchdown passes (64) and completion percentage (63.6%). He also registered 429 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on 375 rushing attempts. He was named MVP at the 2005 Senior Bowl.
A native of Willard, Ohio, Frye earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science. He and his wife, Lenette, have two sons and a daughter.
