Vikings suspend Gerald Alexander for 3 weeks following DWI guilty plea

The Minnesota Vikings suspended assistant coach Gerald Alexander for three weeks without pay following his guilty plea to third-degree DWI, a gross misdemeanor charge. The suspension began Friday, July 25 and concludes August 13, according to ESPN's reporting.

Alexander was stopped in Edina, a Minneapolis suburb, on April 26 and refused a breathalyzer test during the stop, per court documents cited by ESPN. He pleaded guilty on July 16 to the charge and was ordered to pay $603 in fines and fees, complete 48 hours of community service, and serve two years of unsupervised probation, according to ESPN's reporting.

The Vikings hired Alexander in February as defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, replacing Daronte Jones, who left for the Washington Commanders' defensive coordinator role. Alexander has prior coaching history with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, having worked together in both Miami and Pittsburgh.

In a statement reported by ESPN, Alexander said: "I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark. 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 stated in their announcement, per ESPN, that they "remained in communication with the NFL while awaiting the outcome of the legal process" following the April arrest. Head coach Kevin O'Connell was expected to address the suspension publicly on the day the action was announced.