EAGAN, Minn. – The Minnesota Vikings on Friday announced additions to the 2024 player engagement staff, naming Jasper Brinkley director of player engagement and Arkeem Byrd assistant director of player engagement. Both Brinkley and Byrd will assist Vikings Executive Director of Player Development Les Pico.
Brinkley returns to Minnesota 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, Georgia, 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.
Byrd spent the past two years as the director of player development at Temple University. During his time with the Owls, Byrd developed the football team's first internship program and created a transition program to help new football student-athletes adjust to college both on and off the field. He also assisted with official and unofficial visits, planned community service opportunities and served as the liaison between football student-athletes and Temple's academic support staff.
Bryd came to Temple from Oregon where he was a coordinator of student-athlete development. Prior to his time with the Ducks, he served as a graduate assistant for student-athlete development at Arizona State. Byrd joined the Sun Devils by way of Penn State, where he was an academic support assistant.
A native of Savannah, Georgia, Byrd played running back and defensive back at Wake Forest. He transitioned to be a student coach for the Demon Deacons after suffering a career-ending injury in 2018. Byrd graduated from Wake Forest with his degree in communications in 2020.
