3 immediate replacements for Ed Donatell the Vikings need to consider
By Adam Patrick
Greg Manusky
- Current Role with Vikings: Inside linebackers coach
- Experience as a Defensive Coordinator: 12 years
Not only does Greg Manusky have more than a decade of experience as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, but he also spent part of his playing career in the league as a member of the Vikings.
From 1991 to 1993, Manusky was a linebacker for Minnesota. He appeared in a total of 43 games for the Vikings, but none of them were starts.
After his career on the field in the NFL came to an end 2000, he moved to the sidelines as a coach. His first opportunity to be a defensive coordinator took place in 2007 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Manusky wound up spending the next four seasons as the 49ers defensive coordinator, highlighted by the 2009 campaign in which his defense ranked fourth in the league in points allowed.
After parting with the 49ers, he spent 2011 as the San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator, 2012 to 2015 as the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator, and 2017 to 2019 as the Washington Commanders defensive coordinator.
Like former Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer, Manusky was known for utilizing double A-gap packages to generate pressure. With there still being some holdovers from the Zimmer era on the Vikings’ roster, this might make an adjustment from Ed Donatell to Manusky less difficult.