Lions vs. Vikings: Roster Connections
View roster connections between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings.
Lions QB Matt Cassel spent two seasons with the Vikings from 2013-14. In 2013, he appeared in nine games (six starts) for the Vikings and threw for 1,807 yards.
Lions Assistant Offensive Line Coach Hank Fraley entered the NFL coaching ranks with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, where he worked for three seasons (2014-16) as an assistant offensive line coach. Fraley helped the unit produce one of the NFL's top rushing attacks in 2015.
Lions Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson worked with the Vikings for four seasons (2011-15) as an offensive line coach. In 2011, the team finished second in the NFL in yards per carry and fourth in yards per game.
Vikings OT Riley Reiff spent the first five years (2012-16) of his career with the Lions after being selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He started 69 of his 77 regular season games played with the Lions.
Vikings Tight Ends Coach Todd Downing served as an offensive quality control coach with the Lions in 2009, assistant quarterbacks coach in 2010 and quarterbacks coach from 2011-13. In Downing's three seasons as quarterbacks coach in Detroit, QB Matthew Stafford started all 48 games and passed for at least 4,600 yards and 20 touchdowns each year.
Vikings RB Ameer Abdullah began his career with the Lions after being selected in the second round (54th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft. Abdullah appeared in 25 career games with 1,251 rushing yards and 440 receiving yards. In 2015, he finished fifth in the NFL and second among rookies with 1,857 all-purpose yards (597 rushing, 183 receiving, 1,077 kickoff).
Lions OL Frank Ragnow is a native of Victoria, Minn., and attended Chanhassen High School, which is just 21 miles from U.S. Bank Stadium. Ragnow became the first Chanhassen alumni to be drafted into the NFL in 2018.
Vikings TE Tyler Conklin is from Chesterfield, Mich., and attended L'Anse Creuse High School. He began his college career playing basketball at Northwood University in Midland, Mich., before transferring to Central Michigan to play football from 2014-17.
Vikings LB Eric Wilson is from Redford, Mich., and helped Thurston High School win four consecutive conference titles in football while also competing in track and basketball.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins is a native of Holland, Mich., and attended Holland Christian High School. He later went on to attend Michigan State (2007-11), where he finished his career as the school's record-holder with 66 career touchdown passes. In the offseason, he returns to Holland to hold his annual youth football camp.
Lions RB Zach Zenner is a native of Eagan, Minn. and attended Eagan High School. He was named a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Football Award after posting 1,181 rushing yards, 122 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns during his senior year.
Lions LB Devon Kennard and Vikings DE Everson Griffen played on the same defense at Southern California in 2009.
Lions C/G Graham Glasgow, Vikings OLB Ben Gedeon and Vikings P Matt Wile were teammates at Michigan for two seasons from 2013-14
Lions LB Eli Harold and Vikings SS Anthony Harris played on the same defense at Virginia in 2014.
Lions LB Christian Jones and Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes played on the same defense at Florida State for three seasons from 2010-12. The duo helped lead the Seminoles to the ACC Championship in 2012 and a win over Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl.
Lions TE Luke Willson and Vikings SS Andrew Sendejo played two seasons together at Rice from 2008-09.
Lions WR TJ Jones, Lions RB Theo Riddick, Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph and Vikings S Harrison Smith were teammates at Notre Dame during the 2010 season.
Lions TE Levine Toilolo and Vikings DT David Perry played together at Stanford for three seasons from 2010-12. The duo helped the Cardinal to a 33-3 record over that span, which included a win in the Orange Bowl in 2010 and a win in the Rose Bowl in 2012.
Lions T Taylor Decker and Vikings C Pat Elflein played on the same offensive line at Ohio State from 2013-15. Vikings DT Jalyn Holmes was teammates with the pair from 2014-15.
Lions QB Matt Cassel was teammates with Vikings K Dan Bailey in 2015 with the Cowboys.
Lions DT Ricky Jean Francois, Vikings QB Kirk Cousins and Vikings OT Tom Compton were teammates with the Redskins in 2015. The trio helped the Redskins to an NFC East title and an appearance in the NFC Wildcard playoffs.
Lions LB Devon Kennard, Lions DE Romeo Okwara, Lions DT Damon Harrison Sr., and Vikings C Brett Jones were teammates with the Giants for two seasons from 2016-17. They were also teammates with Lions DE Trevor Bates during the 2017 season with the Giants.
Lions Defensive Coordinator Paul Pasqualoni served as defensive coordinator for the Dolphins from 2008-09, while Vikings Defensive Coordinator George Edwards was the linebackers coach for the Dolphins from 2005-09.
Lions G Kenny Wiggins and Vikings OT Mike Remmers played on the same offensive line with the Chargers during the 2013 season.
Lions DT Damon Harrison Sr., and Vikings DT Sheldon Richardson played on the same defensive line together with the Jets for three seasons from 2013-15. They were also teammates with Lions FB Nick Bellore 2013-14 and were also joined by Lions DE Kerry Hyder Jr. during the 2014 season.
