The Minnesota VikingsSources say that Ed Donatell is closing the deal with Dan Graziano, Jeremy Fowler and will be making Donatell the team’s defensive coordinator.
Vikings will likely hire Los Angeles RamsSources have confirmed to ESPN that Kevin O’Connell, the offensive coordinator, will be their new head coach following Super Bowl LVI. O’Connell’s defense will be led by Donatell, a coordinator who has 31 years of NFL coaching experience.
O’Connell’s appointment cannot be announced by Vikings until after the Super Bowl has concluded, since his team is still playing.
Donatell was expected join Pete Carroll’s staff. Seattle SeahawksSeattle is now bracing for the possibility he might join the Vikings.
Donatell, 65, has 10 years of NFL defensive coordinator experience, with the last three seasons on former teams. Denver BroncosVic Fangio’s coaching staff. In 2008, he also served as the University of Washington’s defense coordinator.
Under Donatell’s guidance, the Broncos’ defense finished eighth among all NFL teams in yards allowed (5.544) and third in points allowed (32.22).
The Vikings also announced Wednesday that they had hired ex-players Indianapolis ColtsRyan Grigson, general manager, has been promoted to a top personnel position in the front office. Grigson was a senior advisor in the Cleveland BrownsKwesi Afo-Mensah, hired last month as general manager of the Vikings’ front office.