Just over a week after hiring offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the Minnesota Vikings have added another member to their offensive coaching staff.
As first reported by former ESPN insider Adam Caplan, former Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Todd Downing has been brought on as Minnesota’s senior offensive assistant, presumably to collaborate with DeFilippo and have input on the team’s quarterbacks.
Downing was a quarterbacks coach with the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders before taking Oakland’s coordinator position, but the Raiders regressed offensively in Downing’s first year, going from seventh in offense in 2016 to 23rd last season. The Raiders cleaned house at the end of the season, firing head coach Jack Del Rio and bringing in Jon Gruden.
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr thrived, however, in 2016 when DeFilippo was his quarterbacks coach, so a step away from play-calling may help him rediscover his comfort zone. Downing actually replaced DeFilippo as Oakland’s quarterbacks coach after the 2014 season.
A former Eden Prairie High School football assistant, Downing got his start in the NFL in 2001 as a Vikings research and development intern. He was promoted to a football systems analyst in 2003 and eventually an offensive quality control coach in 2005 before taking an assistant job with the St. Louis Rams in 2006.
The Vikings seem to have taken a page from the Philadelphia Eagles’ book by packing the coaches’ room with quarterback gurus. The Eagles surrounded Carson Wentz and Nick Foles with Doug Pederson, Frank Reich and DeFilippo on their way to a Super Bowl victory. Now the Vikings will have Downing, DeFilippo (former Eagles quarterbacks coach) and incumbent quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski.
The trio is extremely young with DeFilippo being the oldest at 39, Downing at 37 and Stefanski at 35. None of the three played in the NFL.
Downing is quite familiar with Vikings running back Latavius Murray, who overlapped with the coach from 2015-16 in Oakland.