VIKINGS-LIONS CONNECTIONS
- Lions WR Nate Burleson played for the Vikings from 2003-05.
- Burleson’s brother, Kevin, played for the University of Minnesota Basketball
team.
- Vikings S Eric Frampton played 2 games for the Lions in 2007.
- Vikings tight ends coach Jimmie Johnson was a player for the Lions from
1992-93.
- Lions assistant quarterbacks coach Todd Downing was a Vikings assistant
coach from 2003-05. He began his time in the Vikings’ front office in the
Public Relations department.
- Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan was a Offensive Coordinator for
the Vikings from 2002-04.
- Lions QB Shaun Hill played for the Vikings from 2002-05. Hill was signed as
a rookie free agent in 2002.
- Vikings VP of Player Personnel Rick Speilman played linebacker in Detriot
Lions camp in 1988. From 1990-96 Speilman was on Detroit’s Scouting and
Personnel staff

LOCAL CONNECTIONS
- Vikings C Joe Berger is from Fremont, Michigan and attended Michigan
Tech.
- Vikings G Steve Hutchinson went to the University of Michigan.
- Lions head coach Jim Schwartz worked as a graduate assistant for the University
of Minnesota in 1990.
- Lions assistant quarterbacks coach Todd Downing attended the University
of Minnesota and was born in Eden Prairie, MN.

NFL CONNECTIONS
- Vikings DT Remi Ayodele and Lions LB Bobby Carpenter both played for the
Dallas Cowboys in 2007.
- Vikings T Charlie Johnson played with Lions G Jacques McClendon in 2010
for the Indianapolis Colts.
- Vikings WR Devin Aromashodu and Lions OT Corey Hilliard and Lions C
Dylan Gandy played for the Indianapolis Colts in 2007.
- Vikings G Steve Hutchinson played with Lions RB Maurice Morris together
with the Seattle Seahawks from 2002-05.
- Vikings WRs Devin Aromashodu and Bernard Berrian played with Lions WR
Rashied Davis with the Chicago Bears.
- Vikings WR Michael Jenkins played with Lions S Erik Coleman from 2008-10
and Lions CB Chris Houston from 2007-09 with the Atlanta Falcons.
- Vikings VP of Legal Affairs Kevin Warren was a Senior VP of Business Operations
and General Counsel with Detriot from 2001-03.

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
- Lions QB Matthew Stafford and Vikings CB Asher Allen played together at
Georgia.
- Vikings G Steve Hutchinson played with Lions T Jeff Backus at Michigan.
- Vikings S Tyrell Johnson and Lions DT Corey Williams were college teammates
at Arkansas State.
- Vikings S Jamarca Sanford played with Lions LB Ashlee Palmer at Mississippi.
- Vikings T DeMarcus Love played with Lions CB Chris Houston at Arkansas.
- Lions DT Andre Fluellen played at Florida State with the Vikings RB Lorenzo
Booker, DT Letroy Guion, and QB Christian Ponder.
- Vikings DT Christian Ballard played with Lions P Ryan Donahue and S Amari
Spievey at Iowa.
- Lions QB Shaun Hill played with Vikings LB E.J. Henderson at Maryland.
- Vikings S Husain Abdullah and Eric Frampton spent time with Lions S Erik
Coleman and RB Jerome Harrison at Washington State.