“It’s a perfect fit”: Chris Calaycay and Jordan Neuman reunite to chase a Vikings title in 2026
The Vienna Vikings are entering the 2026 AFLE season with one of the most compelling coaching storylines in European American Football. Head coach Chris Calaycay and new offensive coordinator Jordan Neuman are working together again for the first time in more than a decade; and both believe their reunion can be a major advantage as the Vikings begin a new chapter in the AFLE.
A reunion built on trust, history and football culture
Calaycay and Neuman last coached together in Vienna from 2011 to 2013. For Calaycay, the move isn’t just about bringing in a successful play-caller, it’s about adding someone who matches the Vikings’ identity.
“I think it’s the whole package of who Jordan Neuman is and our relationship and just how our cultural styles are very similar in our football philosophy,” Calaycay said. “We’re very much in tune with being a ‘culture-first’ football team.”
Neuman described his return as something personal. “To be a part of the Vikings family again is a very special thing for me,” he said, pointing to the connections built during his first time in Vienna. “I’ve kept so many very close relationships for so long.”
Why Jordan Neuman can elevate the Vienna Vikings offense
Neuman arrives in Vienna with a strong reputation from his years in the European League of Football with the Stuttgart Surge, where his units consistently ranked among the league’s best. Calaycay believes that experience translates far beyond the play sheet.
“Whenever you have a coach who’s been running a system for so long and has had success, it just makes it a perfect fit,” Calaycay said.
He also emphasized the value Neuman brings in the day-to-day process: “Having a veteran coach like that for the recruiting process just emphasizes a lot more on how we approach our offseason, how we approach the preseason and how we’re game planning.”
Neuman kept his offensive philosophy simple and clear, describing it in three words: “operational, options, balance.”
Using “extra eyes” to sharpen a championship roster
One of the most interesting parts of the hire is that Neuman has coached against Vienna and beaten them. Calaycay made it clear he wants that perspective inside the building. “I don’t think you can put a measure on it having extra eyes, someone who’s gone against you,” he said. “Those are some of the first questions that I ask Jordan: what do you see where we can improve?”
For a team that measures success in trophies, that kind of honest feedback could prove to be priceless.
Stability, leadership and big expectations in the new AFLE era
Neuman also highlighted why the timing matters. “The reason I return to Vienna is because it is a top level organization in Europe both on and off the field,” he said.
