Ed Donatell's experience takes Minnesota's defense to another level

After moving on from former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer after eight seasons and bringing in first-year head coach Kevin O'Connell, the team needed to sign a new defensive coordinator. In February, the franchise added longtime veteran defensive coach Ed Donatell to be their new full-time defensive coordinator. The 65-year old coach is going to look to use his experience to help Minnesota's talented defense reach their full potential.

Donatell has been coaching football in parts of six different decades. He started as a graduate assistant at Kent State in 1979. He entered the NFL in 1990 as the New York Jets defensive backs coach. He would bounce around to seven different teams across 31 years ( New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears). The Vikings will be his eighth stop in the league. He has held the roles of assistant, position coach and coordinator. He helped the Broncos win back-to-back Super Bowls as their defensive backs coach in 1998 and 1999. His experience will greatly benefit the Vikings and O'Connell as a first-year head coach, who will look for help in certain moments.

Looking at 2022, the Vikings have an elite defense on paper. On the edges, that is where two All-Pro pass-rushers sit in Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter. In the middle of the defense sits All-Pro middle linebacker Eric Kendricks. Future Hall of Fame cornerback Patrick Peterson is back for his second season in the Twin Cities. Also, six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith will once again be patrolling the back end of the Minnesota defense. Donatell's experience coaching in the league for so long will greatly help an already talented top-10 defense on paper. In a division with Aaron Rodgers still dominating defenses, the Vikings will need all the experience and football brains that they can find.