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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander has been suspended for three weeks without pay, the team announced Tuesday, following an April arrest for driving while impaired and refusing to submit to a chemical test, according to Hennepin County (Minn.) District Court records.
Alexander was arrested April 26 in Edina, Minn., and entered a guilty plea July 16. His suspension began Friday and will conclude 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 Tuesday. “We take these situations seriously and believe this disciplinary action is appropriate.”
“I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark,” Alexander, 42, said in a statement. “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.”
According to court records, Edina police found Alexander passed out at a local intersection at about 4 a.m. with damage to the side door, mirror and window of his Tesla and glass inside the car.
Only after the officer knocked on Alexander’s window, according to court records, did Alexander wake up. He initially refused to exit the vehicle, and his speech was slurred. The officer also noted the odor of alcohol. Alexander took a field sobriety test and displayed all six clues of impairment, according to court records.
Alexander submitted a preliminary breath test with a blood alcohol content of 0.169. The legal limit in Minnesota is 0.08. Alexander later refused a DMT breath test after speaking with his attorney.
After hearings in late May, Alexander pleaded guilty under an agreement that included 180 days in jail over two years, community service hours and a $500 fine.
The Vikings hired Alexander in February after the departure of defensive backs coach Daronte Jones, who became the Washington Commanders’ defensive coordinator. Alexander played in the NFL from 2007 to 2011. He has coached in the NFL since 2020, when current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores hired him from the college ranks at California. Alexander most recently was the defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers and also spent time as an assistant with the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders.
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