The Minnesota Vikings are looking for their next defensive coordinator. If they weren’t looking for their next defensive coordinator, they’d probably still be playing football this weekend. But here we are. The hope is that the Vikings find a defensive coordinator that will be around for a while. If that coach does have a short stay in Minnesota, hopefully it’s because the Vikings defense has ripped apart the league’s offenses. This isn’t a look at the team’s next defensive coordinator. It’s a look at the coaches that have guided the defenses of the Minnesota Vikings since 1961.

Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinators Through The Years

The Norm Van Brocklin Years:

Having grown accustomed to professional coaching staffs that exceed a couple dozen, it can be startling to see the coaching staffs of the early 1960s. Norm Van Brocklin, the Vikings first head coach, had only four coaches assisting him. Four! Van Brocklin oversaw the offense. Walt Yowarsky coached the offensive line. Darrel Brewster coached the receivers. Two coaches handled the defense.

1961-63
Harry Gilmer - defensive backs
Stan West - defensive line

Harry Gilmer coached the defensive backs from 1961-64. Stan West coached the defensive line from 1961-63. The linebackers were handled as a blend of the two units. From 1961-63, the Vikings defensive coordinator was essentially Gilmer and West. That dual defensive coordinator setup continued through Van Brocklin’s six years as the Vikings head coach.

1964
Harry Gilmer - defensive backs
Marion Campbell - defensive line

1965
Jack Faulkner - defensive backs
Marion Campbell - defensive line

1966
Jim Carr - defensive backs
Marion Campbell - defensive line

The Bud Grant Years:

The coaching staffs were still small. Some sites list defensive line coach Bob Hollway as the Vikings first “official” defensive coordinator during Bud Grant’s first year as head coach. Pro Football Reference doesn’t list him with that title until 1969. For simplicity, I’m going with Hollway as Grant’s first Vikings defensive coordinator from that first year.

1967-70
Bob Hollway

1971-77
Neill Armstrong

The Vikings great defenses of these years earned the first two defensive coordinators head coach opportunities. Hollway took over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971. Neill Armstrong took over the Chicago Bears in 1978. Neither found much success away from Minnesota. Hollway eventually found his way back to the Vikings.

1978-83
Bob Hollway

The dreaded Les Steckel Year:

1984
Floyd Reese

Grant’s Back:

So’s Bob.

1985
Bob Hollway

The Jerry Burns Years:

1986-90
Floyd Peters

1991
Monte Kiffin

The Dennis Green Years:

1992-95
Tony Dungy

1996-99
Foge Fazio

2000-01
Emmitt Thomas

The Mike Tice Years:

2002
Willie Shaw

2003
George O’Leary

2004-05
Ted Cottrell

I’d forgotten that Mike Tice went through three DCs in only four years.

The Brad Childress Years:

2006
Mike Tomlin

2007-10
Leslie Frazier

The Leslie Frazier Years:

2011
Fred Pagac

2012-13
Alan Williams

The Mike Zimmer Years:

Mike Zimmer was the Vikings defensive coordinator during the Mike Zimmer years. Someone else still carried the title each year.

2014-19
George Edwards

2020-21
Andre Patterson
Adam Zimmer

The dual DC situation was odd but did it matter? Mike Zimmer was the DC.

The Kevin O’Connell Years:

2022
Ed Donatell

2023-

Here’s hoping that the Vikings next defensive coordinator sticks around for a bit due to outrageous success.