Giants Hires Vikings defensive assistant (Report)
Giants Interview Vikings Defensive Assistant for Defensive Coordinator Role (Report)
Although it’s unclear precisely when the interview took place, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero claims that it happened during the Senior Bowl practice week.
The organization will be patient in this process, according to Schoen, who also voiced optimism that the team will have a new coordinator by the end of the week—the deadline for which has passed—during an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio late last week.
Jones, 45, oversaw defense strategy for the National Team during the Senior Bowl. In 2001, he started his coaching career at Lenoir-Rhyne College as a graduate assistant. Four years later, he advanced to the position of associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Bowie State.
In 2016, Jones became the Miami Dolphins’ assistant defensive backs coach, marking his official NFL coaching debut. Before coming to the Vikings in 2020 as a defensive backs coach, he worked as the Cincinnati Bengals’ cornerbacks coach for two seasons (2018–2019).
Before making a brief comeback to collegiate football in 2022 as the defensive coordinator at LSU, Jones left to take a position coaching defensive backs with the Vikings in 2022. He was also named the Vikings’ defensive pass game coordinator in 2023; the team’s pass defense finished 24th in the league with 234.5 yards allowed per game.
The Vikings defensive secondary tied for 10th place in the NFL in interceptions (15) and third place in passes defensed (87) in 2022.
According to sources, Jones has joined a group of candidates that includes Anthony Campanile, Brendan Daly, Derrick Ansley, Shane Bowen, Bobby Babich, Dennard Wilson, and Jerome Henderson.
Babich, who was the linebackers coach for the Bills before, was elevated to the position of defensive coordinator for Buffalo. Last week, Wilson, who was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive backs coach, took the position of defensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans.
Although there is increasing worry over the team’s reluctance to name a new defensive coordinator to succeed Wink Martindale, who left his job on January 10 of this year, the timing appears to coincide, at least for the time being, with Martindale’s hiring by the Giants on February 11, 2022.