Vikings Promote Andre Patterson To Assistant Head Coach
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - The Minnesota Vikings have announced the promotion of Andre Patterson to assistant head coach and hired Robert Steeples and Marquis Johnson in additional positions.
According to a recent statement from the team, Andre Patterson has been promoted to assistant head coach and will continue to help oversee Minnesota's defense as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in his 10th season with the Vikings.
Patterson previously worked for the Vikings as the defensive line coach in 1998-99 and rejoined the team at the same position in 2014.
Since returning to the club seven seasons ago, he has helped the Vikings defense rank ninth in the NFL in sacks, third in rushing touchdowns allowed, and fifth in opponent yards per game.
The announcement included the hire of Robert Steeples as an assistant special teams coach after spending the previous five seasons as head coach of De Smet Jesuit High School's football team.
A former NFL cornerback, Steeples appeared on special teams in two games for Minnesota as a rookie in 2013 and also spent time with St. Louis, Kansas City, and Dallas.
While with Minnesota, Steeples was teammates with current Vikings WR Adam Thielen and S Harrison Smith.
Beginning his second stint in the NFL, Marquis Johnson also joins the Vikings as the assistant strength and conditioning coach. He previously spent seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and most recently served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Jackson State and coordinator of strength and performance at the University of Houston.