Vikings coach suspended after DWI arrest

The Minnesota Vikings will be getting back on the field for training camp, but they’ll be without one of their assistant coaches for some time. Gerald Alexander was suspended by the team for three weeks without pay after getting arrested in April for a DWI, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

Alexander was stopped in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina on April 26 after he was found passed out in his car in the middle of an intersection. The officer couldn’t initially wake him up, but once Alexander woke, he was said to be mumbling incoherently.

“The defendant’s balance was so poor that the one-leg stand test was stopped to prevent the defendant from falling and hurting himself,” the statement of probable cause said. “The defendant submitted to a preliminary breath test which revealed an alcohol concentration of .169 on a weak breath.”

Alexander pleaded guilty to third-degree DWI, a gross misdemeanor and paid $603 in fines and fees. He also had 48 hours of community service and is on unsupervised probation for two years.

“I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark,” Alexander said in a statement. “I know it’s unacceptable. I understand the suspension and am committed to learning from the matter and ensuring I come back a better version of myself.”

Alexander has coached under defensive coordinator Brian Flores with the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. Flores picked Alexander to replace Daronte Jones, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders.