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Daronte Jones
Daronte Jones
Daronte Jones
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Daronte Jones (born November 11, 1978) is an American professional football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Jones has served as the defensive coordinator of the Bowie State Bulldogs and LSU Tigers in college football.

Key Information

Playing career

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Jones played as a cornerback for one season at Temple in 1996, but then transferred to Morgan State University.[1] His playing career ended after his second season with the Morgan State after repeated injuries led to nerve damage.[2]

Coaching career

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Early coaching career

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After being a graduate assistant at Lenoir–Rhyne and coaching safeties at Nicholls State,[2] he was a defensive coordinator for two years at two separate Louisiana high schools.[3] From 2005 to 2009, Jones was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Bowie State University in his home state of Maryland. He spent the 2010 season coaching at UCLA. After a one-year stint coaching the Montreal Allouettes of the CFL, he spent 3 years coaching at Hawaii. He then would spend a year in the Big 10 coaching at Wisconsin.[4]

Jones then began coaching in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, where he worked as assistant defensive backs coach for two seasons.[5] The next two years he spent coaching the secondary for the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2020 he was the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings.[6]

LSU

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Jones served the 2021 season as the defensive coordinator of the LSU on January 26, 2021.[7] He was not retained following the season after head coach Ed Orgeron was fired that October.[8]

Minnesota Vikings

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On February 23, 2022, Jones returned to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 as the team's defensive backs coach.[9] He was promoted with the additional title of pass game coordinator in 2023.

Washington Commanders

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On January 30, 2026, Jones was hired by the Washington Commanders to serve as defensive coordinator under head coach Dan Quinn.[10]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Daronte Jones

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
(born November 11, 1978) is an coach who currently serves as the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach for the of the National Football League (NFL). He previously worked as the at in 2021, where he contributed to the team's defensive strategies during that season. Jones began his coaching career after playing as a at and has held positions at high school, college, and professional levels, including roles with the , , and UCLA. His progression in the NFL includes serving as the Vikings' defensive backs coach in 2020 and since 2022, emphasizing player development and .

Early Life and Education

High School Career

attended in Forestville, . He graduated from the school in 1996. The school later established the Mr. Daronte Jones '96 Scholarship, which supports current players with demonstrated financial need and a minimum of 2.5.

College Education and Playing Career

began his college football career at , where he played as a for one season in 1996 before transferring to . At Morgan State, a in his home state of , Jones continued his playing career as a for two seasons, contributing to the ' defensive efforts. Jones's collegiate playing days were cut short after his second season at due to repeated neck injuries that resulted in , forcing him to end his career prematurely at the start of what would have been his junior year. Despite the injury, he remained involved with the program in a non-playing capacity while completing his studies. Jones earned a from in 2001, marking the culmination of his after a four-year tenure with the institution.

Coaching Career

Early Coaching Roles

Following his playing career at , Daronte Jones transitioned into coaching with an entry-level position as a graduate assistant at in 2001. In this role, he gained foundational experience working with the defensive staff at the program. Jones advanced to in 2002, where he served as the for the . This position allowed him to focus on coaching the secondary at the NCAA Division I-AA level, building on his own background as a . In 2003, Jones took on a role at Franklin High School in Franklin, , marking his entry into high school coaching. He continued in a similar capacity the following year at Jeanerette High School in Jeanerette, Louisiana, where he oversaw the defensive schemes for the program's football team. These high school positions in Louisiana provided him with hands-on experience in leading defenses at the . From 2005 to 2009, Jones returned to the collegiate ranks as assistant head coach and at , an program in . During his five-year tenure, he coordinated an aggressive defensive unit that achieved national prominence, finishing in the top three nationally in multiple defensive categories during three seasons of his tenure. In 2009, the Bulldogs ranked No. 1 in total defense (217.7 yards per game allowed), No. 2 in rushing defense (56.5 yards per game), and ninth in pass efficiency defense, while placing in the top 10 nationally in five statistical categories overall, including third or higher in total defense. Under his guidance, eight defensive players earned honors, three were named to the All-CIAA Rookie Class, and one received D2football.com All-American recognition.

College Coaching Positions

Jones began his college coaching career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2010, where he served as the coach and , assisting with game preparation and working directly with the unit. From 2012 to 2014, Jones joined the as , earning promotion to in 2014 while retaining his responsibilities over the ; during this period, he contributed to significant improvements in the team's pass defense, which ranked No. 11 nationally in 2014. In 2015, Jones moved to the as , where his unit excelled in pass coverage, leading the nation by allowing only seven passing touchdowns while benefiting from his collaboration with then- . Jones returned to a coordinator role in 2021 as at , where he implemented adjustments that led to a mid-season turnaround despite early struggles and injuries to key players like and ; the defense showed marked improvement in November, earning Jones a B+ performance grade amid challenges, with standouts such as and Cordale Flott providing cohesion. He was not retained after the season due to extensive staff changes following Brian Kelly's arrival as head coach, which overhauled the defensive coaching personnel.

NFL Coaching Positions

entered the NFL coaching ranks in 2016 as the assistant defensive backs coach for the , a position he held through the . In that role, he worked closely with safety , who led the team with 122 tackles and earned a selection in 2017. Following his time in , Jones joined the as for the and seasons. During this period, he contributed to the development of the Bengals' amid a rebuilding phase for the team. Jones's NFL experience built on his prior college coaching roles, providing a foundation for his professional advancement. In , he was hired as the defensive backs coach for the , where the allowed 4,141 passing yards, ranking 25th in the NFL. After a one-year departure to college football, Jones returned to the in , promoted to defensive passing game coordinator while retaining his duties as defensive backs coach. That season, under his guidance, the Vikings' ranked third in the NFL in with 87 and tied for 10th in with 15. In , with Brian Flores as , Jones served as Flores's top assistant, playing a major role in overall game planning and contributing to the unit's aggressive scheme that improved the team's defensive output. The Vikings' continued to perform during the season.

Recent Developments and Recognition

Interviews for Defensive Coordinator Roles

In early 2026, the requested permission from the to interview for their vacancy. This opportunity arose amid Jones's ongoing role as the Vikings' defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, building on his prior experience as defensive coordinator at in 2021. Similarly, the sought to interview Jones for their own defensive coordinator position, highlighting his rising profile in NFL coaching circles. As of January 2026, no hiring decisions had been announced regarding these interviews, leaving Jones's status with the Vikings intact while underscoring the demand for his expertise in defensive schemes.

Notable Achievements and Impact

During his tenure as at from 2005 to 2009, Daronte Jones orchestrated defenses that achieved remarkable success at the level, including ranking No. 1 nationally in total defense in 2009 by allowing just 217.7 yards per game. His units consistently performed at an elite level, finishing among the top five in the nation in total defense on three occasions and ranking in the top 10 in five key statistical categories, such as scoring defense and pass efficiency defense. These accomplishments underscored Jones's ability to build aggressive, attacking defenses that disrupted opponents across multiple facets of the game. In the NFL with the , where Jones has served as defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach since , his contributions have significantly enhanced the 's performance, helping the team rank second in the league in opponent scoring efficiency at 31.6% and limiting opponents to just five runs of 20 yards or more. Under his guidance, the Vikings' defense has overseen one of the league's top units. Jones has earned recognition as a key lieutenant to , contributing to the Vikings' status among the NFL's premier defenses and positioning him as a rising figure in coaching circles, with multiple teams requesting interviews for defensive coordinator vacancies. His mentorship has been instrumental in developing who have transitioned to prominent NFL roles, including guiding young like those on the Vikings' roster and earlier players such as , who led the team in while under Jones's tutelage. This influence extends to fostering disciplined, high-impact players across college and professional levels, emphasizing film study and technique refinement to elevate passing game defenses.

References

  1. https://www.vikings.com/team/coaches-roster/daronte-jones
  2. https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/jone05255.html
  3. https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/coach/daronte-jones/
  4. https://uclabruins.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daronte-jones/616
  5. https://www.startribune.com/vikings-defensive-backs-coach-daronte-jones-charts-his-own-course/573377741
  6. https://www.bmhs.org/admissions/learn/scholarships
  7. https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/sports/lsu/who-is-daronte-jones-here-are-5-things-to-know-about-lsus-new-defensive-coordinator/article_3e194090-6003-11eb-9a2e-b3230371bfd7.html
  8. https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daronte-jones/1076
  9. https://morganstatebears.com/news/2021/6/14/football-daronte
  10. https://morganstatebears.com/news/2021/6/23/football-daronte.aspx
  11. https://media.miamidolphins.com/staff/daronte-jones/
  12. https://www.ocregister.com/2010/04/02/ucla-football-jones-joins-bruins-coaching-staff/
  13. https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2021/1/25/22249536/reports-daronte-jones-joining-coaching-staff-as-defensive-coordinator
  14. https://uwbadgers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daronte-jones/534
  15. https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/grading-sec-defensive-coordinators-2021/
  16. https://lsusports.net/news/2021/01/26/football-daronte-jones-named-defensive-coordinator/
  17. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3026296/2021/12/20/lsu-roster-reset-where-things-stand-for-the-tigers-roster-and-coaching-staff-after-signing-day-transfers-and-more/
  18. https://pro-football-history.com/coach/2755/daronte-jones-bio
  19. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2020.htm
  20. https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/news/if-brian-flores-leaves-who-will-be-minnesotas-defensive-coordinator
  21. https://jetsxfactor.com/2026/01/08/ny-jets-request-interview-vikings-db-coach-daronte-jones-dc-report/
  22. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/min/2023.htm
  23. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jets-request-interview-vikings-assistant-011720249.html
  24. https://www.dailynorseman.com/minnesota-vikings-2025-season/94452/two-teams-request-interview-top-minnesota-vikings-defensive-assistant-daronte-jones-jets-cowboys
  25. https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dallas-cowboys-coaching-staff/194454/request-interview-defensive-coordinator-fan-favorite-jim-leonhard
  26. https://thevikingage.com/minnesota-vikings-fallback-brian-flores-dallas-cowboys-daronte-jones
  27. https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/new-york-jets/news/jets-want-talk-vikings-assistant-defensive-coordinator-job/5ba5a2fd4dbf828b9868655d
  28. https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/news/brian-flores-officially-back-with-vikings-daronte-jones-in-saints-dc-mix-01jkv0tmxss9
  29. https://www.startribune.com/daronte-jones-leads-young-vikings-cornerbacks/572669802
  30. https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/2016/2/9/10955684/wisconsin-football-daronte-jones-miami-dolphins-defensive-backs-coach
  31. https://media.vikingsplaybook.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/30140732/2023_10Playbook_GB_DIGITAL.pdf
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