Though Kevin O'Connell can't officially be hired as the Vikings' next head coach until after the Super Bowl on Sunday, the team will have his defensive coordinator in place when he starts next week.
The team is hiring Ed Donatell as its next defensive coordinator, a league source told the Star Tribune on Thursday. Donatell, who had spent the past three seasons as Vic Fangio's defensive coordinator in Denver, had agreed to a job as a senior defensive assistant with the Seahawks until the Vikings showed interest in hiring him to run their defense.
The news about Donatell comes on the same day former Vikings co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson accepted a job as the Giants' defensive line coach, a source said.