The staff under new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is starting to take shape.
The team announced nine coaching hires Thursday morning, including two notable (and long-rumored) names: Ed Donatell and Mike Pettine.
The 65-year-old Donatell spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator for Denver, and will fill that same role with the Vikings. He’s been in the NFL for 31 years , spending time with the 49ers and Bears in addition to the Broncos.
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Pettine, meanwhile, is also onboard as an assistant head coach. He spent last season as a senior defensive assistant with the Bears, but prior to that was defensive coordinator in Green Bay, a consultant with the Seahawks, head coach of Cleveland, and defensive coordinator with the Bills and Jets.
The seven other hires announced Thursday are:
- Brian Angelichio – Tight Ends/Passing Game Coordinator
- Jerrod Johnson – Assistant Quarterbacks
- Chris Kuper – Offensive Line
- Curtis Modkins – Running Backs/Running Game Coordinator
- Chris O’Hara – Quarterbacks Coach
- Justin Rascati – Assistant Offensive Line
- Chris Rumph – Defensive Line
Notably absent? An offensive coordinator.
Two names, both colleagues of O’Connell on the Super Bowl champion Rams, have recently surfaced.
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue earlier this week reported the Vikings plan to interview Rams running back coach Thomas Brown for the position. L.A.’s passing game coordinator and tight ends coach Wes Phillips is also expected to interview for the job.
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The Vikings, meanwhile, will officially introduce O’Connell at a 4 p.m. news conference Thursday. So stay tuned for more Vikings news later today.
