Minnesota averaged 127.7 rushing yards per game over the final three games of the season, highlighted by a season-high 220 rushing yards in Stefanski's debut, a 41-17 home win over Miami.

Vikings running back Latavius Murray said after Minnesota's season ended that he noticed Stefanski's effort to help get the running game going.

"I did. Again, I'll go back to, obviously the Miami game, everybody wants to talk about that, but I can go back to the Detroit game and us not running the ball in the first half but then really running it well the second half," Murray said. "That's the commitment we need. If I look at [the Week 17] game, that [92]-yard drive – run, pass, run, pass – switching it up, that's the commitment we need.

"I definitely saw that, and I think Coach Stefanski knows exactly what needs to be done offensively for us to be effective," Murray added.

Multiple players also said they appreciated how Stefanski pared down the number of play calls and allowed the offense to be freer over the final three games of the 2018 season.

"I think he simplified things for us," Murray said. "Maybe tried to shorten the playbook a little bit, just tried and maybe put less on our table so we could go out there and do the things we do well and play fast and just do those things really well. I would say that was the biggest difference."