EDEN PRAIRIE — The Minnesota Vikings have hired Brent Salazar as the team’s new strength and conditioning coach. 

The Vikings announced the move on Wednesday. Salazar spent the previous nine seasons as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Salazar has never been a head strength coach. He got his start as an intern at New Mexico in 2002 while he was a tennis player at the school. He worked an internship with the Denver Broncos in 2005 and landed with the Chiefs in 2007.

Salazar replaces Evan Marcus, who was dismissed at season’s end. The Vikings had a rash of pectoral injuries during Marcus’s two years on the staff, prompting coach Mike Zimmer to make the change.