Inside The Vikings

Vikings assistant Daronte Jones requested to interview for Bears' DC job

Could Jones wind up as Ben Johnson's defensive coordinator in Chicago?
Will Ragatz|
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Daronte Jones against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

Add Daronte Jones to the list of Vikings coaches (and one executive) who have received interest from another franchise regarding a possible promotion.

Jones, the Vikings' defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator under Brian Flores, has been requested to interview for the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator opening, according to NFL Media's Ian Rapaport. It'll presumably be a fairly wide search in what will be a critical hire for new offensive-minded head coach Ben Johnson in Chicago, but the possibility now exists that the Vikings could lose one of Flores' top assistants to an NFC North rival.

Jones, 46, has coached DBs in Minnesota under both Kevin O'Connell and Mike Zimmer. He was first hired by Zimmer in 2020 after stints with the Dolphins and Bengals. Then, in 2021, Jones was hired to be LSU's defensive coordinator. He was not retained when LSU underwent a coaching change following that season, and Jones returned to Minnesota on O'Connell's inaugural staff.

He's been with the Vikings for four of the last five seasons and is widely respected inside the building. Jones certainly deserves a great deal of credit for the Vikings' incredible defensive performance in 2024, which included a league-high 24 interceptions, most of them by DBs. Minnesota would undoubtedly love to retain Jones, but he does seem to be on the path to becoming an NFL DC sooner or later.

Jones will join Flores, Josh McCown, and Grant Udinski as Vikings assistant coaches to receive interviews from other teams. Flores seems likely to return; he took three head coach interviews, but two of the teams have filled their vacancies and the other appears to be close to doing so. McCown also seems likely to return. Udinski is a finalist for the Seahawks' offensive coordinator job. Vikings front office executive Ryan Grigson was interviewed by the Jets for their GM opening but is reportedly no longer in the running.

The Vikings haven't lost anyone in this NFL hiring cycle so far, but that could still change.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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