Nine-year NFL veteran pass rusher Danielle Hunter has signed a new contract with the Houston Texans. Hunter, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, spent the entirety of his career with the Minnesota Vikings.
Danielle Hunter has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans, to return home! 2-years, 49m with 48m fully guaranteed. Contract has 51m total max. Deal done by @zekesandhu @KlutchSports https://t.co/AvjNkqGE3f
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2024
REPORT: Danielle Hunter, TEAM, Agree to Contract
Even though the Minnesota Vikings missed the playoffs, Danielle Hunter was his usual dominant self during the final year of his contract. Starting and appearing in all 17 games, the former third-round pick finished the year with 16.5 sacks, 83 tackles, 23 tackles-for-loss, and 22 quarterback hits. All of these marks were the best of his career, and his 23 tackles-for-loss was the best mark in the league. This impressive season earned him yet another spot on the Pro Bowl roster.
Danielle Hunter originally entered the NFL as a third-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Selected by the Minnesota Vikings, the LSU product spent his rookie season as an effective situational pass rusher. Appearing in 14 games while making one start, the rookie finished the year with six sacks, 33 tackles, eight tackles-for-loss, and nine quarterback hits. Hunter built upon this promising season to establish himself as one of the league’s better pass rushers in 2016. Appearing in all 16 games, Hunter ended his second season with 12.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 56 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, 19 quarterback hits, and one safety. After taking a minor step back in 2017, Hunter went on one of the better five-year runs you’ll see from a pass rusher.
From 2018 to 2023, Danielle Hunter played in 73 games while recording 62 sacks, 226 tackles, 77 tackles-for-loss, and 95 quarterback hits. These numbers are obviously impressive, but they’re even more startling when you consider Hunter missed the entirety of the 2020 season with a neck injury and only played seven games in 2021. In his four healthy years during this stretch, Hunter recorded at least 10.5 sacks in every season and made the Pro Bowl every time.
Since signing his rookie contract, Danielle Hunter has recorded 87.5 sacks, 462 tackles, 108 tackles-for-loss, 134 quarterback hits, and 11 forced fumbles.
