Vikings part ways with special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf

The Minnesota Vikings will hit the reset button on special teams.

Head coach Mike Zimmer announced Tuesday that Marwan Maalouf will not return as special teams coordinator next season, as his contract expired following the 2020 season. It will not be renewed.

Minnesota struggled on special teams throughout the 2020 campaign.

Kicker Dan Bailey made a career-low 68.2% of his field-goal attempts (15 of 22) and a career-low 86% of his extra-point attempts (37 of 43). Bailey missed four kicks — three field-goal attempts and one extra-point attempt — in a 26-14 loss to Tampa Bay on Dec. 13, which put his job in jeopardy.

But the Vikings weren’t great in the return game, either. Minnesota finished last in the NFL on punt returns (4.3 yards per attempt) and tied for 16th on kickoff returns (21.9 yards per attempt).

Maalouf was hired as the Vikings’ special teams coordinator ahead of the 2019 season. He’s spent 16 seasons working in the NFL, previously with Cleveland (2004-06), Baltimore (2008-11), Indianapolis (2012) and Miami (2013-18). Maalouf was an assistant special teams coach with the Dolphins and served as the special teams coordinator of the Colts for one season.