The Minnesota Vikings are set to welcome back former players Danielle Hunter and Stefon Diggs as they face off against the Houston Texans. Despite only playing each other five times, there’s notable familiarity between the teams. Hunter and Diggs were key contributors to the Vikings’ 2019 playoff team, which upset the New Orleans Saints before losing to the San Francisco 49ers, where DeMeco Ryans was emerging as a coach. Ryans later became the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and faced off against Kevin O’Connell, then the Rams’ offensive coordinator. O’Connell was named Vikings head coach in 2022, a position Ryans had also interviewed for. Ryans eventually became the Texans’ head coach, leading them to a division title in his first year, just as O’Connell had done with the Vikings.
Now, Hunter and Diggs are part of Ryans’ Texans team, while several former Texans players have joined the Vikings, bolstering their defense. This web of connections adds an extra layer of emotion and complexity to the matchup, as both teams, undefeated and leading their divisions, prepare to meet at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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