Michael Hutchings enters his third season in the NFL and with the Minnesota Vikings and second as safeties coach in 2025. He was the Vikings assistant defensive backs coach in 2023 and previously served as the outside linebackers coach at Western Kentucky in 2022. Hutchings brings seven years of coaching experience, both collegiately and professionally, to Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's staff.
Hutchings, in his first season as a lead position coach in the NFL in 2024, helped the Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record and playoff appearance in 2024, the second-most wins in team history. His safeties played an integral role in Minnesota leading the NFL in interceptions (24), passes defensed (95), opponent 4th-down conversion percentage (37.1%) and interceptions per attempt (3.8%) and tying for the league lead in takeaways (33). The unit also helped the Vikings rank second in the NFL in opponent scoring efficiency (31.6%), opponent runs of at least 20 yards (five) and opponents rushing yards per game (93.5).
Minnesota also recorded a takeaway in every regular season game in 2024, marking the most consecutive games with a takeaway in a single season in franchise history, and they were the only team in the NFL with a takeaway in every game. The Vikings 24 interceptions were five more than any other team in the league (Houston, 19 interceptions) and tied for the team's second-most interceptions in a season since 2000 (28 INTs in 2003 and 24 INTs in 2005).
S Cam Bynum and Harrison Smith each hauled in three interceptions on the season, while S Joshua Metellus also grabbed a pair of picks in 2024, and S Theo Jackson accounted for one – a game-sealing interception in Week 16 at Seattle. Under Hutchings' leadership, Smith, with 1.0 sack and three interceptions in 2024, became just the sixth player in NFL history to reach the 35 interception-20 sack benchmark, joining five Hall of Famers: Charles Woodson (1998-2015), Ronde Barber (1997-2012), Brian Dawkins (1996-2011), LeRoy Butler (1990-2001) and Larry Wilson* (1960-72).
During his first season in the professional ranks, Hutchings helped the Vikings defense improve from their 31st overall ranking in 2022 to 16th in 2023, and lead the NFL with 21 forced, with defensive backs accounting for 14.
Bynum and Metellus achieved career numbers in 2023 under Hutchings' guidance. Bynum posted career highs in tackles (137), passes defensed (nine), forced fumbles (three) and tied his then career-best mark in interceptions (two). His 137 total tackles led all Vikings defenders and were the most by a DB in the league in 2023. Metellus started a career-high 17 games, after combining for just three starts from 2020-22, lining up at more than 10 different positions on defense. He recorded single-season career highs in tackles (116), tackles for loss (seven), sacks (2.5) and forced fumbles (four).
Hutchings also contributed to the development of third-round draft pick Mekhi Blackmon during his rookie season in 2023. Blackmon appeared in 15 games, making three starts, and tallied 41 tackles, including three for loss, one interception and a fumble recovery. He was the only rookie league wide to tally at least eight passes defensed, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Hutchings arrived in Minnesota after previous stints at Western Kentucky (2022), Oregon (2021) and USC (2018-20). During his time at USC, Hutchings helped lead a dramatic improvement in the Trojans' defense from 2019 to 2020, with total yards allowed per game dropping from 408.7 to 369.7 and passing yards allowed per game falling from 246.2 to 216.3. The Trojans had 16 forced turnovers in the shortened six-game 2020 season after getting 16 in 13 games in 2019.
Additionally, he coached safety Talanoa Hufanga, who was named a consensus All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu, who made All-Pac-12 first team in 2020.
The Concord, Calif., native played four seasons (2013-16) at inside linebacker for USC, making 15 starts and recorded 118 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two passes defensed and one interception.
Hutchings received his bachelor's degree in communications from USC in 2017 and a master's degree in communication management.
