The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is reporting that Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson is leaving the team to take the same job in Minnesota under new head coach Mike Zimmer.

Wilson was interviewed last week by Ravens head coach John Harbaugh for the team’s vacancy at offensive coordinator after Jim Caldwell left to become the head coach in Detriot.

However, after no longer being considered for the position in Baltimore, Wilson was allowed to make the lateral move  to the Vikings.

It’s unclear what Minnesota will pay Wilson, but the fact that it’s a lateral coaching move is a bit curious.

Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch made headlines on Saturday for passively speculating on the recent upheaval among the offensive assistant coaches. Maybe this comes from an insider’s knowledge of the relationship dynamics that existed between the coaches when he played in Pittsburgh (if anyone would know it would be someone like him) or maybe it was just one of those innocent tweets that most of us make with no real thought behind it, and the reactions to it were a bit over-blown.

Regardless, Wilson’s departure for a lateral position is a bit shocking, considering how well-respected he was by the players and the front office–he was believed to be in line to succeed Bruce Arians as offensive coordinator before being badly burned in a house fire two years ago.

Wilson is the second offensive assistant to leave the team since the end of the 2013 season. Offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. was fired by head coach Mike Tomlin after the regular season, and Mike Munchak was recently hired to take his place.

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