The Latest Breaking News from Ed Donatell

The Vikings are are showing trends on defense

In his debut column for us, Judd Zulgad talks about how head coach Kevin O'Connell is now facing his first true adversity.

In new coach Kevin O'Connell and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, the Vikings have followed the Packers' schematic blueprint.

The Vikings had just hired Kevin O'Connell — the coach for whom Kirk Cousins had signed a jersey five years ago saying, "I hope our paths cross again" — and O'Connell had put his defense in the hands of Ed Donatell, the still-excitable 65-year-old coordinator whose schemes Cousins had regarded…

Seeds for the dramatic change in the way the Vikings will play defense in 2022 were planted in the sod of Soldier Field and the offensively-gifted mind of Rams coach Sean McVay on the night of Dec. 9, 2018.

Harrison Smith plays mind games before practice most days. He searches for any source of motivation, something to stoke his inner fire, whether it is real or imagined.

A host of players remaining from the Mike Zimmer era have been instrumental for new coach Kevin O’Connell. Plus, more notes from Minnesota’s camp.

When Vikings players don pads during Monday's practice for the first time in seven months, an unheralded defensive lineman is looking to remind observers that he can make the splash plays everyone loves.

Cameron Dantzler reminds Ed Donatell of one of his former standout players.