The Vikings have hired former Gopher Matt Sheldon as their assistant defensive backs coach. Sheldon replaced Derek Mason, who took a job at Stanford.

Sheldon has been an assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams.

Here is the official release sent out by the Vikings:

The Minnesota Vikings have added former Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams assistant, and Minnesota Golden Gopher defensive back, Matt Sheldon to its coaching staff as Assistant Defensive Backs coach.

Sheldon, who is heading into his 10th season as an NFL assistant, joins the Vikings following 4 seasons coaching LBs with the Buffalo Bills. With Buffalo, the Bills LBs were instrumental to the team ranking No. 2 in the NFL in passing defense, led by MLB Paul Posluszny who emerged as a playmaking force.
 
Prior to his stint in Buffalo, Sheldon spent 2001-05 with the St. Louis Rams, where he assisted on special teams and with the secondary and LBs on defense. Before joining the staff at St. Louis, Sheldon served as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin (1997-99) with the defensive secondary. Wisconsin’s defense led the nation in 1998 and the Badgers were the first team in Big Ten history to win Rose Bowls in consecutive seasons (1998-99).
 
Sheldon played DB for the University of Minnesota after prepping at D.C. Everest High School in Schofield, WI.

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