Minnesota Vikings take a hard stance on something they’ve dealt with before, and it could be a major hindrance during training camp
It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings have dealt with their fair share of off-the-field issues, and they dealt with another on Tuesday.
The Minnesota Vikings have suspended new defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander for three weeks due to a DWI charge that he pleaded guilty to earlier in July.
Per The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the suspension began on Friday, July 24th, which means he is eligible to return the day before the Vikings’ first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Minnesota Vikings suspend DBs coach Gerald Alexander
Head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke about the suspension of Alexander during his opening training camp press conference.
“We made the decision to suspend Gerald. As coaches, the expectations and the standards we have are clear, and it’s important that we do those things for our players and be the examples on and off the field in this organization, and we take it very seriously. Gerald understands that he knows he fell short of those expectations, and he’s taking full responsibility for what happened, and he understands the consequences,” said O’Connell.
It’s a tough one for the Vikings to have Alexander set to miss the first three weeks of training camp, especially with him being new to the organization. Plus, there are a lot of issues in the safety room. With Harrison Smith’s future still unknown, it’s an important offseason for the safety room, and being without the top player, how that shapes up will be very important.
Now, three weeks may seem like a lofty suspension. It may be, but this is what the Vikings have set for a precedent. After the 2023 season, they suspended offensive coordinator Wes Phillips for the same three-week period. Wide receiver Jordan Addison also served a three week suspension, where his cost him three games. It’s good to see it consistently happen across the board.
Alexander being able to return to the team is going to be important for the Vikings, and not having him will be tough for the team during training camp.
