Jasper Brinkley returns to Minnesota for his first season as the Vikings director of player engagement in 2024, after playing linebacker for the club from 2009-12 and during the 2014 season.
He appeared in 94 games, making 42 starts, during his seven-year NFL career that also included stints with the Arizona Cardinals (2013) and New York Giants (2015). Following his tenure as a player, Brinkley focused on operating his own trucking company, Brinkley Logistics, while also serving as a mentor and coach for several youth football teams and organizations in Katy, Texas.
A native of Thomson, Ga., Brinkley graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in African American Studies and has assisted Pico annually with the Minnesota Vikings Rookie Success Program since 2017. Brinkley, who has four children - Jawan (23), Dakyus (19), Tayla (16) and Jasper Jr. (8) – is married to Kellie, a bronze medalist at the London 2012 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter hurdles.
