Grant Udinski
{{Short description|American football coach (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Grant Udinski
| image =
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| current_team = Jacksonville Jaguars
| position = Offensive coordinator
| birth_date = {{Birth month and age|1996|1}}
| birth_place = Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date =
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| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb =
| high_school = Central Bucks West
(Doylestown, Pennsylvania)
| college = Davidson (2015)
Towson (2016–2018)
| undraftedyear = 2019
| pastcoaching =
- Baylor (2019)
Graduate assistant - Carolina Panthers ({{nfly|2020|2021}})
Coaching assistant - Minnesota Vikings ({{nfly|2022}})
Assistant to the head coach & special projects - Minnesota Vikings ({{nfly|2023}})
Assistant quarterbacks coach - Minnesota Vikings ({{nfly|2024}})
Assistant offensive coordinator & assistant quarterbacks coach - Jacksonville Jaguars ({{nfly|2025}}–present)
Offensive coordinator
| highlights =
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| pfrcoach = UdinGr0
}}
Grant Udinski (born January 1996){{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article298578598.html|newspaper=The News Tribune|title=The Seahawks’ latest offensive-coordinator candidate: He’s 28 years old |author=Bell, Gregg|date=January 15, 2025}}{{Cite news|url=https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2025/01/18/vikings-assitant-coach-finalist-for-seahawks-oc-vacancy/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Vikings assitant [sic] coach finalist for Seahawks OC vacancy|date=January 18, 2025|author=Harbaugh, Andrew}} is an American professional football coach and former player who is the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Davidson Wildcats and Towson Tigers and has previously coached for the Baylor Bears, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings.
Early life
Udinski was born in 1996 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/bio/_/id/3119884/grant-udinski|publisher=ESPN|title=Grant Udinski}} He attended Central Bucks High School West where he played football and lacrosse, being an all-conference football player and a two-time all-conference lacrosse player.{{Cite web|url=https://towsontigers.com/sports/football/roster/grant-udinski/9489|publisher=Towson Tigers|title=Grant Udinski}} He began his college football career for the Davidson Wildcats where he was a backup tight end as a freshman in 2015, recording one reception for 10 yards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/who-is-grant-udinski-28-year-old-gets-interview-request-for-nfl-offensive-coordinator-position-per-report/|publisher=CBS Sports|title=Who is Grant Udinski? 28-year-old gets interview request for NFL offensive coordinator position, per report |author=Podell, Garrett|date=January 14, 2025}}
After his lone season at Davidson, Udinski transferred to the Towson Tigers as a walk-on in 2016, eventually earning a scholarship.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.today/20250117185504/https://www.mcall.com/2020/02/10/for-cb-west-grad-grant-udinski-coaching-grind-pays-off-with-the-carolina-panthers/|newspaper=The Morning Call|title=For CB West grad Grant Udinski, coaching grind pays off with the Carolina Panthers |date=February 14, 2020|via=archive.ph}} He switched to defensive end at Towson and sat out the 2016 season due to transfer rules. He totaled 15 tackles in 2017 and then made 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks as a senior while playing all 12 games. He was also a top student at Towson, being named CoSIDA Academic First-Team All-American, for posting an undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.94 with a master's level GPA of 4.0.{{Cite news|url=https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/sports/nfl/2022/09/19/cb-west-grad-mike-pettine-grant-udinski-return-philadelphia-vikings-nfl-eagles-monday-night-football/69499015007/|newspaper=Bucks County Courier Times|title=CB West graduates Mike Pettine Jr., Grant Udinski return to Philadelphia with Vikings|date=September 18, 2022|author=Moore, Tom}}
Coaching career
=Baylor and Carolina Panthers=
After Udinski graduated from Towson, he decided to enter coaching. He applied for grad school at Baylor University and was able to land a position as a graduate assistant for the Baylor Bears football team. He worked under head coach Matt Rhule and assisted defensive coordinator Phil Snow. He moved in with Snow during the year, after initially having lived in his car in a Walmart parking lot. He helped the Bears compile an 11–3 record in the 2019 season, advancing to the Big 12 Championship Game.
After one year at Baylor, Udinski followed Matt Rhule to the Carolina Panthers of the NFL in 2020.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.today/20241109223054/https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-quarterbacks-coach-grant-udinski-jj-mccarthy-kevin-oconnell/601177942|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=archive.ph|title=Meet Grant Udinski, the most interesting man on the Vikings coaching staff|author=Goessling, Ben|date=November 9, 2024}} He held the position of coaching assistant for two years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/seahawks-request-interview-with-vikings-assistant-oc-grant-udinski|website=ProFootballTalk|publisher=NBC Sports|title=Seahawks request interview with Vikings assistant OC Grant Udinski|author=Alper, Josh|date=January 14, 2025}}
=Minnesota Vikings=
After receiving a suggestion from tight ends coach Brian Angelichio, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell hired Udinski in 2022. He initially held the position of assistant to the head coach/special projects. His initial duties including providing advanced scouting reports on opponents and helping with various tasks in practice. O'Connell called Udinski's understanding of football "unbelievable" and in 2023, he was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox13seattle.com/sports/seahawks-request-interview-grant-udinski|publisher=KCPQ|title=Seattle Seahawks request interview with Grant Udinski, per report|author=Crabtree, Curtis|date=January 14, 2025}} He received another promotion in 2024, to assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach, while the Star Tribune noted "His unofficial roles include: mentor to [quarterback] J. J. McCarthy; post-practice pass rusher or receiver for Sam Darnold; advance scout and practice lieutenant for [offensive coordinator] Wes Phillips; complement to QB coach Josh McCown; 'Crazy Grant' to O'Connell's kids; confidant, protégé and occasional comedic target for O'Connell."
=Jacksonville Jaguars=
On February 5, 2025, Udinski was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as their offensive coordinator under head coach Liam Coen.{{cite web |last1=Oehser |first1=John |title=Jacksonville Jaguars Agree to Terms with Grant Udinski as Offensive Coordinator |url=https://www.jaguars.com/news/k000156-jacksonville-jaguars-agree-to-terms-with-grant-udinski-as-offensive-coordinator |website=Jaguars.com |access-date=6 February 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.jaguars.com/team/coaches-roster/grant-udinski Jacksonville Jaguars profile]
{{NFL offensive coordinators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Udinski, Grant}}
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:American football tight ends
Category:Baylor Bears football coaches
Category:Carolina Panthers coaches
Category:Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania
Category:Davidson Wildcats football players
Category:Jacksonville Jaguars coaches
Category:Minnesota Vikings coaches
Category:NFL offensive coordinators
Category:Sportspeople from Doylestown, Pennsylvania