On a day when the Vikings initiated a youth movement with their final round of cuts, they turned one of the NFL’s oldest players into the newest member of their coaching staff.
Cornerback Terence Newman, who turns 40 on Tuesday, announced his retirement on Saturday afternoon. The 15-year veteran will join the Vikings coaching staff immediately, the team announced, with Newman’s role to be detailed further at a later date.
Newman, who had said 2018 would be his final NFL season, re-signed with the team for the veteran’s minimum salary of $1.015 million on April 30. He had played in the Vikings’ nickel package on early downs during their first three preseason games — much as he’d done last year — but as undrafted free agent Holton Hill continued to push for a roster spot, it seemed possible something would have to give in the Vikings’ crowded defensive backfield.