As the John Harbaugh era officially gets underway for the New York Giants, the search for a defensive coordinator has kicked off. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Giants have requested to interview Minnesota Vikings passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones for their vacant defensive coordinator position.
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Giants Request to Interview a Hot Name in Vikings’ Daronte Jones
While the league-wide buzz has largely focused on Harbaugh’s organizational overhaul, this move signals that Harbaugh is casting a wide net to find a scheme that can capitalize on the Giants’ young, high-upside secondary. Jones is currently one of the hottest names on the market, having already completed in-person interviews with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.
A Masterclass in Pass Defense
Jones is coming off a staggering 2025 campaign where his fingerprints were all over one of the league’s most elite units. Under his guidance as passing game coordinator, the Vikings’ secondary helped Minnesota finish No. 2 in the NFL against the pass (allowing just 159.5 yards per game) and No. 3 in total defense.
His ability to blend aggressive coverage shells with disciplined play resulted in the Vikings leading the league in interceptions (24) and total takeaways (33) during the 2024-25 cycle.
For a Giants defense that has struggled to find a consistent identity, Jones offers a proven track record of creating the kind of “no-fly zone” Harbaugh’s Ravens were famous for.
The Brian Flores Influence
What makes Jones a particularly attractive candidate for the Giants is his recent experience working alongside Brian Flores. Jones has spent the last several seasons working under Flores’s tutelage as his right-hand man, executing one of the most complex and aggressive schemes in professional football.
This Flores-style aggression—focused on disguised blitzes and versatile defensive back usage—mirrors the physical, trench-first philosophy that Harbaugh plans to install.
By targeting Jones, the Giants are looking to pair their elite pass-rushing duo of Brian Burns and Abdul Carter with a secondary coach who knows how to maximize the coverage-to-sack”window.
In addition to Flores, some of the other prominent coaches that Jones has worked under include Vance Joseph, Mike Zimmer, Lou Anarumo, and Marvin Lewis. Jones considers Joseph a primary mentor.
Jones’s Coaching Experience
At 47, Jones brings a resume that spans over two decades and multiple levels of football, including a stint as the defensive coordinator for LSU in 2021. However, he has never served as a defensive coordinator for an NFL team — a lacking experience that could make him a less favorable candidate compared to some of the Giants’ other options.
Jones’s ability to develop talent is undeniable; he coached Byron Murphy Jr. to a career-high six interceptions in 2024 and was a key factor in the Vikings’ jump from 31st in pass defense to a top-tier unit in just two seasons.
While Harbaugh has been linked to long-time collaborators like, the request for Jones proves that the Giants are casting a wide net for his staff. Plus, hiring Jones would steal a top-tier assistant away from two rivals in the Cowboys and Jets, who have expressed heavy interest in making him their defensive coordinator.
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