Vikings coach on leave of absence inks deal with Clemson
On a leave from the team since October, now-former Vikings defensive line coach Chris Rumph has been named the defensive ends coach for the Clemson Tigers.
Rumph's hire was approved by Clemson's board of directors Monday morning. He returns to the college where he was the D-line coach from 2006-10.
“For me, this is coming home,” Rumph said in a statement. “Clemson is a great fit for me and my family in terms of the town and the quality of the people. The passion of the fan base is second-to-none… Clemson is a program that has won consistently and won at the highest levels under Coach (Dabo) Swinney. I am excited to do my part to return the program where it aspires to be and once again have Clemson in the College Football Playoff and competing for national championships year in and year out.“
Rumph has bounced around a lot – as many coaches have – in his career, most recently working two years under head coach Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota. He was the defensive line coach with the Chicago Bears in 2021 and in 2020 he made his NFL debut coaching linebackers for the Houston Texans.
“Chris really fits what I was looking for in this hire,” Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney said. “I wanted someone with NFL experience — and he certainly brings that — and I was looking for the right recruiting fit as someone who grew up in this state and played in this state."
According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, assistant D-line coach Pat Hill filled for the Vikings after Rumph took his leave.
Former Vikings defensive line coach Chris Rumph puts his arm around Danielle Hunter (99) during the 2022 season opener against Tampa Bay.
Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings
