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Minnesota Vikings defensive passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander returned toward practice Saturday following unpaid suspension. Gerald Alexander completed his discipline Friday following drunken driving incident earlier this spring. He traveled with team facing New York Giants preseason matchup Saturday. Alexander faced severe consequences following early morning arrest. Edina police found Alexander unresponsive inside his damaged Tesla around 4:01 a.m. April 26. Officers noticed slurred speech alongside poor balance during field sobriety tests. His preliminary breath test showed 0.169 blood alcohol concentration. This measured more than twice Minnesota legal limits. He refused official breath testing later. Gerald Alexander rejoins Minnesota Vikings after three-week suspension ESPN analyst Kevin Seifert broke news regarding Alexander returning toward practice Saturday. Alexander completed his three-week suspension Friday following drunken driving arrest. He immediately traveled with team facing New York Giants preseason matchup. Alexander pleaded guilty July 16 regarding gross misdemeanor third-degree driving while impaired charges. Judge sentenced Alexander toward 48 hours community service alongside two years unsupervised probation. Court dismissed fourth degree driving while impaired charge entirely. Vikings suspended Alexander three weeks without pay starting July 24. Team stated they maintained constant communication with NFL regarding legal process before announcing official team discipline. Vikings defensive passing game coordinator/DBs coach Gerald Alexander completed his 3 week suspension Friday for drunken driving and is back on the practice field today. He also traveled with the team to Saturday’s preseason game at NYG. — Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 17, 2026 Alexander accepted full responsibility regarding his actions inside official statement. “I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark,” Alexander told reporters. “I know it’s unacceptable. I understand the suspension and am committed to learning from the matter.” Head coach Kevin O’Connell expressed disappointment regarding his coach making poor decisions. “Disappointment is the word,” O’Connell told reporters. “The expectations and standards we have are clear. It’s important we do those things for our players and be examples on and off field.” Minnesota expects high moral character. Gerald Alexander faces pressure replacing Daronte Jones Alexander assumes major responsibility replacing Daronte Jones, who left Minnesota to become Washington’s defensive coordinator. His background coaching defensive backs across Pittsburgh, Miami and Las Vegas gives him valuable experience, but the Vikings still expect immediate results. Minnesota’s aggressive secondary approach has already fueled discussion around its veteran defensive-back search. Alexander returns carrying a heavy burden while proving himself worthy of wearing Vikings colors again. His off-field mistakes caused major distractions throughout early offseason preparations. Minnesota’s organization demands excellence on and off the football field, with the team’s projected 2026 record reflecting high expectations for Brian Flores’ defensive system. Alexander must deliver elite defensive-back play while maintaining complete professionalism.