Vikings Interview Ex-Bears DC Sean Desai For Defensive Coordinator Vacancy

Desai, the first Indian-American coordinator in NFL history, is a very interesting candidate for several reasons.

The Vikings interviewed former Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai over the weekend as they look to fill their DC vacancy, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Desai joins Lions DBs coach/passing game coordinator Aubrey Pleasant and Ravens DL coach/run game coordinator Anthony Weaver as candidates for the Vikings' DC job. Former Ravens DC Wink Martindale was also a rumored option, but he landed the Giants job on Tuesday.

Desai was a finalist for the Giants job and also has interest from the Seahawks. Seattle interviewed him for its DC opening but ended up hiring Clint Hurtt. Hurtt, who knows Desai from their time together with the Bears, reportedly wants him as a secondary coach/passing game coordinator, so that's likely where he'll end up if he doesn't get hired in Minnesota.

Pleasant is probably the favorite to become the Vikings' new DC, but Desai and Weaver are strong candidates as well. All three are 41 years old or younger.

Desai's background is a fascinating one. He didn't play football in college, but worked his way up from entry-level positions at Temple University while getting his doctorate in educational administration. After several years as an academic advisor and coach, he became Temple's special teams coordinator in 2010 at just 27 years old. 

From there, Desai had stops at Miami and Boston College before landing his first NFL gig with the Bears in 2013. For six seasons, he was a defensive quality control coach in Chicago, surviving coaching changes from Marc Trestman to John Fox and from Fox to Matt Nagy. During that time, he learned from top-notch defensive coaches like Vic Fangio, Hurtt, Mel Tucker, and Ed Donatell.

In 2019, Nagy blocked Fangio's Broncos from interviewing Desai by promoting him to safeties coach under DC Chuck Pagano. Desai spent two years in that role, working with Eddie Jackson and the rest of Chicago's safeties, and then was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021. That promotion made him the first Indian-American coordinator in the history of the NFL.

Despite dealing with some major injuries last year, the Bears finished 13th in defensive DVOA, ninth in total defense, and sixth in scoring defense. Desai had a strong first season, but he wasn't retained in the coaching change from Nagy to Matt Eberflus. The interest he's received from several teams this offseason, most recently the Vikings, says a lot about him as a candidate.

Desai has had to work extra hard and earn everything he's gotten in the NFL because he didn't play beyond high school and doesn't look like most of his coaching peers. He has three degrees: a BA from Boston University, a master's from Columbia, and a doctorate from Temple. Most importantly, the 38-year-old is an excellent football coach who connects with players and is known for his remarkable work ethic.

It'll be very interesting to see who Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings end up hiring at defensive coordinator out of Pleasant, Weaver, and Desai. It's a strong group of young, talented candidates.

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