It’s been two months since the Raiders parted ways with Defensive Coordinator Paul Guenther, promoting Defensive Line coach Rod Marinelli to interim DC for the final three games of the season. Guenther has now found a new job.
The seven-year NFL Defensive Coordinator will be joining the defensive staff under head coach Mike Zimmer with the Minnesota Vikings as first reported by Tom Pelissero.
The #Vikings are hiring Paul Guenther as a senior defensive assistant, sources tell me and @RapSheet. The former #Bengals and #Raiders DC worked with Mike Zimmer for six years in Cincinnati and knows that scheme well.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 10, 2021
According to Ian Rapoport, Guenther had several offers, but Zimmer’s persistence landed him Guenther’s services.
Exactly what role Guenther will have was not revealed. Mike Zimmer promoted his son Adam to Co-Defensive Coordinator recently.
Guenther succeeded Zimmer as DC in Cincinnati in 2014 when Zimmer was named head coach for the Vikings. Prior to that, Guenther had been a linebackers coach for the Bengals for seven years under Zimmer after two years as a defensive assistant.
In three years with the Raiders, Guenther’s defenses ranked 32nd, 24th, and 30th in points allowed and 26th, 19th, and 25th in yards allowed.
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