Vikings Coach to Interview with Packers
Minnesota Vikings fans are fixated on Brian Flores’ future — he’s interviewed for three jobs already this offseason — but the “other” defensive coach, Daronte Jones, is getting his fair share of action, too. In addition to chatting with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, Jones is now in line to discuss the Green Bay Packers’ open defensive coordinator job.
Minnesota could lose a key staffer as Jones’ profile climbs; Green Bay joins other teams sniffing around him already.
With a stroke of luck, Matt LaFleur could make Jones one of his principal lieutenants.
Daronte Jones Could Do the Unthinkable in Green Bay
What if the Vikings kept Flores and watched as Jones left?
Packers Want to Interview Jones
Say it ain’t so. NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote Tuesday, “Daronte Jones is a popular candidate for defensive coordinator jobs this month. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Packers have requested permission to interview the Vikings’ defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator for that spot on Matt LaFleur’s staff.”
“Jeff Hafley was the team’s coordinator, but he agreed to become the Dolphins’ next head coach on Monday. Jones has already interviewed with the Cowboys and Jets this month. Jones joined the Vikings’ staff in 2022 and has held his current roles since the 2023 season.”
Because Green Bay is Minnesota’s foremost rival, the Vikings could, in theory, block the request, though that’s largely unexpected, as it would deny Jones’ growth as a coach.
Giants, Too
And don’t forget New York. Giants Wire‘s Dan Benton noted Tuesday, “The New York Giants have requested to interview Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their vacant defensive coordinator position, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.”
“This is the second time in three coaching cycles that the Giants have shown interest in Jones. They interviewed him in 2024 before hiring Shane Bowen, who has since departed.”
Jones’s market is really heating up, and one must wonder if the Vikings have plans to interview him for the same position — or if Minnesota has an inkling that Flores will return. The Vikings have interviewed no defensive coordinator candidates, leaving some fans scratching their heads.
The Defense That Jones Would Inherit
During the Brian Daboll era, the Giants put together these defensive seasons:
Giants Defense,
per EPA/Play,
Since 2022:
2022: 28th
2023: 22nd
2024: 29th
2025: 27th
And while those numbers are downright awful, Jones would notably inherit these players, assuming no offseason trades, in 2026:
- Paulson Adebo (CB)
- Brian Burns (OLB)
- Jevon Holland (S)
- Abdul Carter (OLB)
- Dexter Lawrence (DT)
- Bobby Okereke (LB)
How is that defense consistently dreadful? Nobody knows. The players are there.
As for the Packers, well, the numbers are slightly better:
Packers Defense,
per EPA/Play,
Since 2022:
2022: 26th
2023: 23rd
2024: 4th
2025: 22nd
And what Jones would take over on Day One:
- Javon Bullard (S)
- Edgerrin Cooper (LB)
- Trevon Diggs (CB)
- Rashan Gary (EDGE)
- Xavier McKinney (CB)
- Micah Parsons (EDGE)
- Lukas Van Ness (EDGE)
- Evan Williams (S)
No Matter What, Jones Will Be Promoted Soon
There’s a small chance that the Cowboys, Giants, Jets, and Packers pass on Jones, but his time is coming no matter what. There’s just no way a coach could get this much action and not eventually get a DC audition. Some team will hire him soon — probably within the next week or so.
If not, Jones and Vikings fans will do this all over again early in 2027. He’s an up-and-comer who deserves to run a defense.
A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness recently called Jones a ‘rising star,’ explaining, “The Vikings have an emerging star on their defensive staff in passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Daronte Jones. He joined Mike Zimmer’s staff in 2020 before taking the LSU Tigers offensive coordinator job in 2021. When that didn’t work, he returned to the Vikings to work for Kevin O’Connell. He served under Ed Donatell and was retained by Brian Flores.”
“Internally, the Vikings would love to retain Jones, and he’s arguably the top candidate to replace Flores if he gets a head coaching job. What the Cowboys can expect is a well liked coach who has a diverse history under his belt. It’s hard to say what kind of defense he will bring to the Cowboys if he gets the job, but the one thing for certain is he will cater it to the players the Cowboys have.”
Jones is from Maryland and will turn 48 in the fall. His defense, led by Flores, ranked third in the NFL this season EPA/Play after finishing No. 2 in the same metric in 2024.
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