The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday that they’ve fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
Statement from Head Coach Kevin O’Connell pic.twitter.com/ntRqd4cr4A
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 19, 2023
All indications were that Donatell was likely to be on the outs this offseason, so this shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
The Vikings’ 2022 defense was one of the most disappointing units in the NFL.
Donatell, 65, began his coaching career back in 1979 as a graduate assistant at Kent State. He took his first NFL coaching job with the Jets in 1990 when they hired him as their secondary coach.
From there, Donatell worked for a number of teams including the Broncos, Packers, Falcons, Jets and 49ers before the Bears hired him as their DBs coach for the 2015 season. He was hired to Denver’s staff as their defensive coordinator in 2019.
The Vikings hired him last February to run their defense.
In 2022, Donatell’s defense ranked No. 31 in yards allowed, No. 28 in points allowed, No. 20 in rushing yards allowed and No. 31 in passing yards allowed.
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