The Vikings completed their coaching staff on Monday, naming James Saxon as their running backs coach. Saxon replaces Eric Bieniemy, who left after the season to become offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado. Saxon has worked in the NFL for 11 seasons and spent the past three as the Miami Dolphins' running backs coach. He has had eight players over the past 10 seasons go to the Pro Bowl with the most recent being Ronnie Brown in 2008. Saxon also was an assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs (2001-07) and helped Priest Holmes, Larry Johnson and Tony Richardson go to the Pro Bowl seven times in seven seasons. Saxon was a sixth-round pick of the Chiefs in 1988 and played eight seasons with Kansas City (1988-91), Miami (1992-94) and Philadelphia (1995). Saxon, who was let go by the Dolphins after this season, will get the chance to work with Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson in Minnesota. In Miami, Brown and Ricky Williams combined to rush for more than 1,500 yards in 2008 and 1,700 yards the following season. But their production decreased to 1,407 yards this season. Williams ran for only two touchdowns and Brown averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. The Dolphins rushing attack was 21st in 2010, averaging 3.7 yards per carry, after being fourth (4.4 average) in 2009.

The Vikings reportedly had offered the job of running backs coach to Gene Huey, 63, who was recently fired by the Colts. However, it appears Huey elected to retire instead of accept the position.