Is Sean Payton blocking Ejiro Evero from interviewing with Vikings?
The Minnesota Vikings' search for a defensive coordinator has taken a turn as an old nemesis has reportedly gotten involved.
According to SI's Albert Breer, the Vikings have not received permission to interview Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the same position with Minnesota, but the Broncos have lined up interviews with other candidates to potentially replace the 42-year-old.
Payton will forever be a villain in Vikings lore. As head coach of the New Orleans Saints, he was one of the key figures in a playoff trilogy that included the "Bountygate" scandal in the 2009 NFC Championship Game, the "Minneapolis Miracle" in the 2017 NFC Divisional Playoff and the Vikings' overtime victory in the 2019 NFC Wild Card Game.
Before Vikings fans cry foul, Minnesota was on the other end of the spectrum when Mike Zimmer blocked then-offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski from interviewing with the New York Giants in 2018.
Stefanski was hoping to join Pat Shurmur as his offensive coordinator in New York following the 2017 season but Zimmer to denied the Giants' request to interview Stefanski because it was a lateral move.
“I get criticized for blocking guys and stuff like that, but loyalty, to me, is a big thing, right?" Zimmer said via the Star Tribune. "So I come in here four years ago and the offense is 29th, 27th, 26th. But I keep them. So the first time our offense is pretty good, then I’m supposed to let all my coaches leave? I don’t think that’s right. If I’m going to be loyal to them and not fire them after they don’t have good years, then I don’t think they should not be loyal to me.”
The Broncos were a mess in 2022 but their defense was one of the few bright spots. Denver ranked 14th in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed, leading Payton to reportedly consider Evero to fill the defensive coordinator position on his staff, per Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle.
This is where it gets strange. Breer also reports that Evero could be in the running to be the new defensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams if Raheem Morris is hired as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. If Evero is allowed to interview with the Rams and not the Vikings, well, that'll be another chapter in the Vikings-Payton rivalry.
Until then, the Vikings' choices for defensive coordinator appear to be thinning. Ryan Nielsen accepted the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator job earlier this week and Seattle Seahawks assistant Sean Desai took his name out of the running on Friday.
That leaves Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores, current Vikings assistant Mike Pettine, and Evero as the three candidates to replace Ed Donatell.
Breer reports that Flores would "move to the top of the [Vikings] list" if they are denied permission to interview Evero, but Flores is also in the running for the head-coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals.
For now, the Vikings are left to wait and see how the situation plays out.
