Vikings Name Offensive Line Coach, Griffin Honored

(Eden Praire, MN) -- The Minnesota Vikings have hired former Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano to supervise their offensive line. The Vikings made the announcement Thursday, two days after coach Mike Zimmer revealed his decision to fire offensive line coach Jeff Davidson.

Sparano and Zimmer coached together with the Dallas Cowboys under coach Bill Parcells from 2003-06. Sparano was head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2008-11 and had an interim stint running the Oakland Raiders in 2014.

This season, Sparano served as tight ends coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Sparano has been coaching in the NFL for 17 years. The Vikings will be his ninth organization. Davidson held the role with the Vikings for five seasons.

Viking Off To Pro Bowl

(Eden Prairie, MN) -- Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen has been selected as a replacement to the Pro Bowl. He will replace injured Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. The announcement was made Thursday.

Watt has a groin injury that forced him out of Houston's playoff game last weekend. This is the first Pro Bowl for Griffen, who finished 12th in the NFL with 10 1/2 sacks this season. Griffen had 12 sacks in 2014, his first year as a full-time starter.

Griffen, a fourth-round draft pick from USC in 2010, also was credited with 30 quarterback hurries, four pass breakups and one forced fumble in 2015. He's the fifth defensive end in Vikings history to make the Pro Bowl, the first since Jared Allen in 2012.