Former Vikings Assistant Coach Andre Patterson to Be Next Giants' Defensive Line Coach (Report)

The Giants reportedly snag a well-respected and much loved defensive assistant coach for Brian Daboll's staff.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Feb 10, 2022 1:28 PM EST

In this story:

The Giants are reportedly hiring former Vikings assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson to be their defensive line coach.

Patterson spent 10 seasons with the Vikings, all of them as the team's defensive line coach. In 2020, he was named co-defensive coordinator by then-head coach Mike Zimmer and last season, Patterson was given the additional title of assistant head coach. He had also previously been on the Vikings coaching staff during the 1998-1999 seasons as the team's defensive line coach.

Patterson has been coaching since 1982, spending the 1982-1996 seasons between several high school and college assignments. He cracked into the NFL in 1997 as the defensive line coach for then Patriots head coach Pete Carroll.

He has also had stops as the defensive line coach for the Cowboys, Browns, and Broncos.

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New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen introduces himself to members of the media before the press conference at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots special teams coach Joe Judge (left) looks on during warm-ups with head coach Bill Belichick before Super Bowl LI against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium.

New York Giants General Manager Joe Schoen, left, shakes hands with CEO and co-owner John Mara during Schoen's introductory press conference at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

Jun 12, 2018; New York Giants interim general manager Kevin Abrams , second from left, walks off the field during minicamp.

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Patterson, a well-respected and loved coach by his players, helped the Vikings defense rank ninth in the NFL in sacks (283), third in rushing touchdowns allowed (76), and fifth in opponent yards per game (332.0) in his second tenure with the team.

Patterson, who comes from a 4-3 defensive front with the Vikings, has also been instrumental in the development of Danielle Hunter, who tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks with 14.5 and who has been voted to multiple Pro Bowls.

Patterson also has head coaching experience at both the high school and college levels. He was the head coach at Saint Monica Catholic High School in 1987 and Cal Poly from 1994 to 1996.

Patterson, who has spent the bulk of his coaching career on the defensive side of the ball, did spend one season (2007) as an offensive line coach for Regis Jesuit High School, an assignment he took after being part of the Denver Broncos staff from 2005 to 2006. He also has experience as a defensive coordinator, having held that role at Western Michigan in 1998 before being named co-defensive coordinator for the Vikings in 2020.

Here is a rundown of what's been reported regarding the Giants assistant coaching staff. (Job titles are tentative and subject to change.)