Albert Padilla begins his 3rd season with the Vikings staff as assistant athletic trainer in 2018, after serving as a seasonal assistant athletic trainer for the club since 2013. Padilla has a broad background in athletic training and rehabilitation that enhances the Vikings player care programs.
Padilla will assist Eric Sugarman's staff with injury prevention, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation and draw on his experiences and training as a licensed athletic trainer.
Padilla works with the team year-round as an athletic trainer, assisting the Vikings in all aspects of player care. His prior experience in the NFL includes a training camp internship with the Vikings in 2011 as an athletic training student.
Padilla earned his undergraduate degree in athletic training at Temple University, where he worked with football, men's basketball and men's lacrosse teams. He has a diverse background in college athletics while working as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Temple University from 2012-2013. He went on to earn his master's degree in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2014. Padilla is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, a member of Iota Tau Alpha Athletic Training Honor Society, and a certified Corrective Exercise Specialist by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The Vikings staff was honored by their NFL peers as the Athletic Training Staff of the Year for 2017 as part of the annual Ed Block Courage Award gala.
Padilla is a 15-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he reached the rank of Captain. He served as a communications officer, providing support to logistics and combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2007-2008.
Padilla is a native of Bronx, N.Y., and a graduate of South Bronx High. Padilla resides in Eden Prairie, MN with his wife, Maggie, and their sons, Alexander and Samuel.
