New Orleans Saints vs Minnesota Vikings Connections

• New Orleans Head Coach Sean Payton, Minnesota Head Coach Mike Zimmer and Offensive Line Coach Tony Sparano served on the same coaching staff in Dallas from 2003-05.

• Sparano served as New Orleans Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen's assistant head coach/offensive line, when he was head coach of Oakland from 2013-14. Allen also tutored Vikings running back Latavius Murray in Oakland those two seasons.

• Minnesota wide receiver Laquon Treadwell played at the University of Mississippi.

• Vikings Linebackers Coach Adam Zimmer served on the Saints coaching staff from 2006-09…Saints linebacker Michael Mauti was a seventh round draft pick of Minnesota in 2013 and played for the Vikings from 2013-14, during which he made 17 special teams tackles before joining New Orleans at the start of the 2015 regular season.

• New Orleans fullback Zach Line was signed by Minnesota as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the Vikings before signing with the Saints in training camp.

• New Orleans defensive end Cameron Jordan was born in Minneapolis while his father Steve, who was a seventh round draft pick of Minnesota in 1982 out of Brown, played tight end for the Vikings from 1982-1994. Steve was a three-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowl selection from 1986-91, for whom he played his entire career, finishing with 498 receptions for 6,307 yards and 28 touchdowns and was named one of the 50 greatest Vikings.

• Minnesota defensive tackle Tom Johnson prepped at Moss Point (Miss.) HS then played at Gulf Coast (Miss.) Community College, Southern Mississippi and for the Saints from 2011-13, for whom he had 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 40 games.

• Minnesota kicker Kai Forbath handled placekicking duties for New Orleans in 2015, where he booted two game-wnning kicks.

• Minnesota College Scout/Regional Pat Roberts previously served as the head strength coach and offensive line coach at Milsapps College in Jackson, Miss.

• Vikings cornerback Tramaine Brock is a Gulfport, Miss. native, who played at Belhaven College. Brock and Saints wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr.  were teammates with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-12.

• Vikings Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Derik Keyes is a Laurel, Miss. native who played at Louisiana-Lafayette and had coaching stints at his alma mater and South Alabama and served on the same Browns coaching staff with Saints Secondary Coach Aaron Glenn from 2014-15.

• Saints tight end John Phillips played Minnesota safety Andrew Sendejo with the Dallas Cowboys in 2010.

• Vikings tackle Rashod Hill played at the University of Southern Mississippi with Saints center Cameron Tom.

• New Orleans cornerback P.J. Williams was in the same secondary with Minnesota cornerback Xavier Rhodes in 2012 for the Seminoles and was later teammates with Vikings running back Dalvin Cook during the 2014 campaign.

• New Orleans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins won the 2012 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans with his college teammate, Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

• Vikings defensive ends Tashawn Bower and Danielle Hunter both played at Louisiana State University.

• Saints defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad played with Vikings wide receiver Stacy Coley and guard Danny Isidora during the 2015 campaign for the University of Miami (Fla.).

• Saints linebacker Manti Te'o was teammates at Notre Dame with Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph from 2009-10 and wide receiver Michael Floyd  and safety Harrison Smith from 2009-11.

• Saints safety Vonn Bell, wide receiver Michael Thomas, cornerback Marshon Lattimore all played at Ohio State with Vikings center Pat Eflein…Saints linebacker Gerald Hodges was a fourth round draft pick of the Vikings (120th overall) in 2013 and played for Minnesota as a part-time starter and special teams contributor from 2013-15. Hodges and Vikings right end Kyle Carter were college teammates at Penn State.

• Ginn and Minnesota center Joe Berger were teammates with the Miami Dolphins, when they both played for Sparano, who served as head coach. Saints linebacker Jonathan Freeny and Berger were also teammates in Miami from 2012-14. New Orleans Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Ronald Curry, Sparano and Vikings Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Uyeymama served on the same coaching staff in San Francisco in 2015. Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael and Sparano served on the same coaching staffs with the Cleveland Browns in 2000 and the Washington Redskins in 2001.

• New Orleans guard Larry Warford and Minnesota tackle Riley Reiff were teammates with the Detroit Lions from 2013-16.

• Saints linebacker Craig Robertson played for Vikings Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur when he served as head coach of the Cleveland from 2011-12. Ginn, Saints linebacker A.J. Klein and Vikings tackle Mike Remmers were teammates with the Carolina Panthers. Te'o and Remmers were teammates with the San Diego Chargers in 2013.  Te'o and Vikings tackle Jeremiah Sirles were teammates with the Chargers in 2014.

• Allen, New Orleans Quarterbacks Coach Joe Lombardi and Minnesota Tight Ends Coach Clancy Barone served on the same coaching staff in Atlanta. Vikings Wide Receivers Coach Darrell Hazell served as Ginn's position coach at Ohio State.

• Saints defensive end Kasim Edebali played with Vikings punter Ryan Quigley at Boston College. New Orleans Assistant Special Teams Coach Kevin O'Dea originally tutored Quigley as an undrafted rookie with the Chicago Bears in 2012, when he served as assistant special teams coach.

• New Orleans National Scout Mike Baugh and Minnesota Assistant General Manager George Paton served together on the same Dolphins player personnel staff from 2005-06.