Vikings coach suspended w/out pay

Gerald Alexander, who joined the Vikings as their defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator this offseason, was suspended by the team without pay for three weeks after he was arrested for drunken driving in Edina on April 26.

Alexander pleaded guilty to a third-degree DWI charge on July 16, after refusing to submit to a chemical test when he was pulled over. He agreed to perform community service and pay a $500 fine as part of the plea arrangement, and will be on probation for two years.

“I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark,” Alexander said in a statement released by the team. “I know it’s unacceptable. I understand the suspension and am committed to learning from the matter and ensuring I come back a better version of myself.”

The Vikings said Alexander’s suspension, which began Friday, will run through Aug. 13.

“Following Gerald’s arrest earlier this spring, we remained in communication with the NFL while awaiting the outcome of the legal process,” the team said in a statement. “We take these situations seriously and believe this disciplinary action is appropriate.”

The Vikings hired Alexander in early February as their defensive backs coach, after Daronte Jones left to become the Commanders’ defensive coordinator. Alexander had previously worked with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in Miami and Pittsburgh.

Strib