Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to Interview Giants DC Patrick Graham For Head Coach Vacancy
For the first time in ten days, the Vikings have added a new name to their list of head coach candidates. And this one is particularly interesting because it's the first addition to the list since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took over as the team's general manager.
Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings will interview Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham over Zoom on Saturday, according to multiple reports.
There's a lot to like about Graham, even though his defenses over the past couple seasons weren't exactly dominant. The Giants have been lacking in defensive talent for a few years now; Graham took over a unit that was among the league's worst in 2019 and brought it up to being average over the past two seasons despite minimal roster improvement.
Almost everyone who has played for him seems to love him. Logan Ryan gave him the nickname "Black Picasso" for his defensive game plans. Graham worked his way up through the college coaching ranks and learned from Bill Belichick as a Patriots assistant coach for seven seasons. He appears to be on the path to becoming a head coach sooner or later.
And you can understand why Adofo-Mensah might be interested. The Vikings' new GM went to Princeton, and Graham went to an Ivy as well (Yale). He's a self-described nerd who embraces the use of data and analytics in coaching. This SI feature on Graham, written by Greg Bishop last fall, is definitely worth a read.
After his playing days at Yale ended, Graham worked various jobs before getting into coaching at FCS Wagner College in Staten Island. He worked as a GA while studying for his MBA. Stops at Richmond, Notre Dame, and Toledo led to Graham getting a call from Bill Belichick and joining the Patriots' defensive staff in 2009. He eventually coached linebackers and the defensive line in New England, then had stints with the Giants and Packers before landing his first DC gig on Brian Flores' Dolphins staff in 2019. Graham then reunited with Joe Judge in 2020 with the Giants.
Again, it's important to look at the results of the three defenses Graham has coordinated within the proper context. The Dolphins' D was awful in 2019, but so was their roster. The Giants instantly got better when he arrived in 2020, and remained solid this past year despite losing some key players (like current Viking Dalvin Tomlinson). There's also something to be said for the difficulty of finding defensive success when your Daniel Jones-led offense is so awful it's constantly putting you on the field after quick breaks.
The first dominoes in this year's head coach hiring cycle fell on Thursday. Of the Vikings' initial list of eight, it appears three are off the board: Nathaniel Hackett was hired by Denver, Dan Quinn returned to Dallas, and Kellen Moore is either returning to Dallas or going to Miami.
That leaves five candidates, with Graham joining them to become number six:
- 49ers DC DeMeco Ryans
- Rams DC Raheem Morris
- Rams OC Kevin O'Connell
- Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon
- Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles
- Giants DC Patrick Graham
Fans might freak out about five of those six having defensive backgrounds, and I get it. But this search is about finding the best leader and coach for an entire roster, regardless of what side of the ball they come from. Graham is smart, gets along great with players, and is an excellent leader. More names could still be added to the list early next week, as well.
It's also possible that Graham could be a defensive coordinator candidate in Minnesota if they hire O'Connell. Whoever the Giants end up hiring as their head coach may want to bring in their own coordinators, which would leave Graham looking for his next move.
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