The New York Giants have interviewed Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their defensive coordinator opening, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The interview happened this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, where Jones was serving as the DC for one of the two teams of draft prospects.
Jones is an ascending coach who seems destined to be an NFL coordinator sooner or later, even if it doesn’t happen this year. The 45-year-old has been with the Vikings for three of the last four years — across two different regimes. He was hired by Mike Zimmer as DBs coach in 2020, then spent a year as LSU’s DC, before returning to Minnesota and joining Kevin O’Connell’s staff in 2022. This past season, he had “defensive pass game coordinator” added to his title while serving as one of Brian Flores’ top assistants.
Prior to joining the Vikings, Jones had stints with the Bengals, Dolphins, and a host of teams at the college, CFL, and high school levels. The Maryland native played at Temple and Morgan State in the late 1990s.
The Giants have cast a wide net in their search for a coordinator to replace Don “Wink” Martindale after the two sides parted ways following this season. They finished 21st in defensive DVOA and 27th in total yards allowed during a disappointing 6-11 season in 2023.
The Vikings will be hoping to get Jones back in 2024. He would’ve been an internal candidate for their own DC job if Flores had been hired as a head coach elsewhere, but that didn’t happen.
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