The New York Giants are casting a wide net in their search for a new defensive coordinator, and one of the names they're zeroing in on is Daronte Jones, the current Vikings passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. According to reports, the Giants have officially requested to interview Jones for the role-and they're not the only ones. The Jets and Cowboys have also put in interview requests, signaling that Jones is a hot commodity on the defensive coaching market.
Jones, 46, is no stranger to this kind of attention. Just last year, he drew coordinator interest from the Bears, Jaguars, and Saints.
And it’s not hard to see why. His coaching résumé is a well-traveled roadmap of defensive development, marked by stops at every level of football and a steady climb through the ranks.
His coaching journey began in 2001 at Lenoir-Rhyne as a graduate assistant, before moving on to Nicholls State and Bowie State, where he continued to hone his craft. By 2010, he was a grad assistant at UCLA, gaining experience in a Power Five program before taking a leap north to the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes in 2011 as a defensive backs coach.
From there, Jones made his way back stateside, holding DB coaching roles at Hawaii and Wisconsin-two programs known for physical, disciplined defenses. His NFL break came in 2016 with the Miami Dolphins as an assistant DB coach, and two years later, he was the cornerbacks coach for the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2020, Jones joined the Minnesota Vikings as their defensive backs coach, a role that put him in charge of developing young talent in a secondary that’s seen its fair share of turnover. His success in that role earned him a shot at running a defense outright in 2021, when he became the defensive coordinator at LSU. That stint gave him valuable play-calling experience at a high level, and after one season in Baton Rouge, he returned to Minnesota, where he's remained a key piece of the Vikings' defensive staff.
What stands out about Jones is the breadth of his experience. He’s coached in the NFL, college football, and even the CFL.
He’s worked with defensive backs at nearly every stop, but he’s also seen how entire defenses operate-from the ground up. That kind of versatility is exactly what teams like the Giants, Jets, and Cowboys are looking for as they try to retool their defensive identities heading into next season.
For the Giants, who are coming off a season where their defense showed flashes but lacked consistency, Jones could represent a fresh voice with a deep toolbox. He’s worked under a variety of defensive minds, adapted to multiple schemes, and built a reputation for developing talent in the secondary-something New York could certainly use.
As the coaching carousel spins into high gear, Daronte Jones is a name to watch. With multiple teams lining up to talk to him, it’s clear the league sees his potential. The question now is which franchise will give him the keys to their defense-and whether Jones is ready to take that next big step.