The New York Giants are starting to shape their defensive staff under new head coach John Harbaugh, and their first known move is a request to interview Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Daronte Jones for their defensive coordinator vacancy.
Jones, 47, has been steadily climbing the coaching ladder and is starting to draw serious interest around the league. He’s already completed in-person interviews for the same role with both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets, signaling that his stock is rising fast in coaching circles.
While Jones hasn’t held the title of NFL defensive coordinator yet, he brings a diverse and well-rounded coaching background to the table. His experience spans nearly every level of football-high school, Division II, FCS, FBS, the CFL, and now the NFL. That kind of journey tends to shape coaches who understand how to connect with players and build defenses from the ground up.
Jones served as the defensive coordinator at Bowie State from 2005 to 2009 and held the same role at LSU in 2021. In the NFL, he’s had stints with the Dolphins, Bengals, and Vikings-his current team, where he’s been coaching the secondary since 2022. He added pass game coordinator responsibilities in 2023, a sign of his growing influence within Minnesota’s defensive structure.
It’s worth noting that Jones has been working under Brian Flores, one of the league’s most respected defensive minds, since 2022. Flores is known for his aggressive, creative schemes, and Jones has no doubt absorbed plenty while helping lead a Vikings secondary that’s had to adapt to injuries and youth in recent seasons.
There’s also some recent history between Jones and the Giants. He interviewed for New York’s defensive coordinator job in 2024 before the team ultimately hired Shane Bowen. While there aren’t obvious ties between Jones and Harbaugh, he did overlap with Giants general manager Joe Schoen for a season in Miami-something that could help open the door again.
This marks the first known defensive coordinator interview request by the Giants since Harbaugh was officially named head coach. With his staff beginning to take shape, all eyes are on how Harbaugh plans to build his defense-and whether a well-traveled, ascending coach like Daronte Jones could be a key piece of that puzzle.