Vikings hold in-person interview with Patrick Graham for head coaching job
Owner Zygi Wilf of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 05, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. ((Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings announced Tuesday night they’ve finished an in-person interview with Patrick Graham for the head coaching job.
Graham is currently the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the New York Giants. He held a virtual interview with the Vikings’ ownership group over the weekend, and met the management team in-person on Tuesday at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. He reportedly spent about nine hours both interviewing and meeting people at the facility.
Graham just finished his 13th season as a coach in the NFL, including seven years with the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick.
He's one of four finalists to replace Mike Zimmer as head coach. Zimmer and Rick Spielman were both fired on Jan. 10 after the Vikings missed the NFC Playoffs for the second straight year, third time in four years and fifth time in Zimmer's eight seasons as head coach.
The Vikings ownership group on Monday flew out to Los Angeles to meet with Rams’ offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris in-person. The Rams beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 on Sunday to win the NFC Championship. They’ll face the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl on Feb. 13.
The Vikings have one more in-person interview scheduled, and it’s with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Wednesday at TCO Performance Center. Harbaugh reportedly flew to the Twin Cities Tuesday night, and will meet with the ownership group on Wednesday. Harbaugh just finished leading the Wolverines to a 12-2 season that featured a win over Ohio State to end the regular season, a Big Ten title and the program’s first trip to the College Football Playoff.
Harbaugh is 61-27 in seven seasons with the Wolverines. He was hired by Michigan in 2015, after going 44-19-1 in four seasons with the 49ers and leading San Francisco to the Super Bowl in 2013.