During a final respite from the NFL grind 5,000 miles away from his new life in Minnesota, John DeFilippo gazed out at the splendor of the Amalfi Coast atop one of the highest peaks in Positano, Italy. The Vikings offensive coordinator savored this time, which would be among his last football-free moments for months. It was easy to get lost staring at the beautiful azure sea and colorful buildings stacked atop each other among the vibrant villages that lined the southern Italian coast.

His phone buzzed, taking him from his moment of reverie back to the present. It was Tony Sparano, the Vikings offensive line coach who sent a text message letting DeFilippo know he put several practice scripts on his office desk to review once he was back from vacation.