(regular season, playoffs) 1997 (14/0,3/0-GB), 1998 (16/16, 1/1-GB), 1999 (16/16-GB), 2000 (16/16-GB), 2001 (16/16, 2/2-GB), 2002 (13/13-GB), 2003 (15/15, 2/2-GB), 2004 (15/13, 1/1-GB), 2005 (14/14), 2006 (16/16). Total- 151/135, 9/6, (30/30-Minn.)
The Vikings most senior defensive player with 135 career starts and 151 games played in his NFL career...One of the elite defensive playmakers in the NFL, ranks tied for 6th in NFL history with 7 career interception return TDs...Has had at least 4 interceptions in each of the past 7 seasons...Earned Pro Bowl berths following the 2000, 2002 and 2005 seasons…Only Vikings C Matt Birk (5) and G Steve Hutchinson (4) have more career Pro Bowl berths in their careers…A crucial part of the Vikings 2005 off-season defensive overhaul, signed on 3/12/05…Has started 135 of his 151 career games and 6 of his 9 career playoff games…Spent opening 8 NFL seasons with NFC North rivals Green Bay…Left Packers ranked 5th in team history with 36 career interceptions…Led the NFL with career-high 9 interceptions in 2000 and matched the 9 in 2005…Led NFL with 233 interception return yards in 2002 and career-best 276 in 2005…Played in Super Bowl XXXII against Denver Broncos as a rookie…Has scored 9 career defensive TDs, with 7 interception returns and 2 fumble returns…Returned opening 2 NFL interceptions for TDs…Played on 6 playoff teams with Packers in his 8 NFL seasons…Helped Green Bay claim 4 division titles in his 8 seasons and win the first 3 NFC North titles in 2002-04 over runner-up Minnesota each season…Played final game as a Packer in Wild Card playoff loss to Vikings on 1/9/05 at Lambeau Field.
2007 SELECTED TO 2007 ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-PRO 2ND TEAM…EARNED 4TH CAREER PRO BOWL BERTH IN 2007 AND HIS 2ND AS A VIKING…Tied for 2007 Vikings lead with 4 INTs…Since joining the Vikings in 2005, Sharper has led or tied for team lead in INTs each season…Became only the 8th NFL player to amass 1,000+ career INT return yards, currently 1,024 yards…Has 58 career takeaways with 53 INTs and 5 FRs…Scored 8th career INT return TD at NY Giants (11/25) and was part of a Vikings record-setting day by scoring 3 TDs on INT returns in the game, tied for the 2nd-most in a game in NFL history…His 8 career INT-return TDs ranks tied for 5th in NFL history, trailing the NFL record of 12 by Rod Woodson…His 53 career INTs ranks as the most by an active NFL player…Moved into a tie with Deion Sanders for 21st in NFL history with 53 INTs…Grabbed his 53rd career INT on a Kyle Orton pass into the end zone to seal the Vikings win on Monday Night Football vs. Chicago (12/17).
2006 Tied for team lead with 4 interceptions on the season…Ranked 4th on team with 93 tackles, the most he has had since 2001…Snared 1st interception of his career off his former teammate Brett Favre on his former home field at Lambeau on NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football at Green Bay (12/21)…Picked off QB Jon Kitna twice on the season, once in each meeting against the Lions…Grabbed an interception off Tom Brady on Monday Night Football vs. New England (10/30)...Posted 1st sack as a Viking and 1st sack since 2003 when he caught Alex Smith at San Francisco (11/5)…Helped the Vikings climb to #8 in NFL total defense and #1 against the run, the highest ranking in total defense since 1994 and only the 3rd time in franchise history ranking #1 against therun…Played under defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin, his former college teammate at William & Mary…Started all 16 games for the 1st time since 2001…Stopped the Lions final drive of the game with an interception of Jon Kitna in the end zone at Detroit (12/10)...Had season-high 9 tackles vs. NY Jets (12/17)…Forced a fumble in the season opening win at Washington (9/11) on Monday Night Football- the 1st regular-season MNF game on ESPN.
2005 Burst onto the Vikings scene by reviving his big-play reputation...Led the NFC and ranked 3rd in the NFL with 9 interceptions...Scored a pair of TDs on interception returns... Earned starting spot in Pro Bowl...Named 2nd- Team All-Pro by Associated Press, the 1st Vikings DB to be honored as an AP All-Pro since Joey Browner in 1990...Named to Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America All-NFL 1st-Team...Earned 1st career NFC Defensive Player of the Week honor for performance at NY Giants (11/13) and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, his 1st time winning the monthly honor...Fell 1 interception shy of matching the Vikings single-season record held by Paul Krause...Led NFL and set a Vikings record with 276 interception return yards...His 276 return yards rank as the 7th-highest total in NFL history...Notched 1st career 3-interception day at NY Giants (11/13), including a career-long 92-yard return for a TD off Eli Manning. Ended game with 123 interception return yards...Returned a Brian Griese pass 88 yards for the opening points of the 2005 season for the Vikings in the 1st quarter of the regular season opener vs. Tampa Bay (9/11)...Started each of the 14 games he played, missing games vs. New Orleans (9/25) and at Atlanta (10/2) with knee injury...Had season-high 10 tackles vs. Tampa Bay(9/11) in opener.
2004 Battled through knee injury through much of season but still started 13 of the 15 games he played...Inactive for only game of the season at Washington (10/31) with knee injury suffered the week before vs. Dallas (10/24)...Played vs. Minnesota (11/14) and at Houston (11/21) but did not start, seeing time on passing downs…Tied the Packers single-season record with 3 defensive TDs on the season, scoring on 2 interceptions and a fumble recovery….His 3 scores tied his own team mark set in 1997 and Herb Adderley’s set in 1965...Led Packers in interceptions for the 5th straight season, joining 3 other Packers to accomplish the feat- Bobby Dillon, Willie Wood and LeRoy Butler…His 77 tackles ranked 4th on the team…Snared a Chad Hutchinson pass and returned it 43 yards for a TD in regular-season finale at Chicago (1/2/05) to notch his 3rd TD of the season and 7th of his career en route to a 31-14 win...Scored his 2nd TD of the season on an alert play on a fumble vs. Jacksonville (12/19), batting the ball out of Jaguars lineman Vince Manuwai’s hands and returning it 15 yards for a score after the lineman picked up a QB Byron Leftwich fumble believing the play was dead as an incomplete pass after Leftwich had been blindsided by Packers DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila…Earned NFL’s Levitra Play of the Week for his fumble return TD vs. Jacksonville…Picked off a Joey Harrington pass at Detroit (10/17) when he stepped in front of a pass intended for Tai Streets and weaved through the Lions for a 36-yard score to break open the game en route to a 38-10 win…Posted 1st interception of the season vs. Chicago (9/19) when he stole a Rex Grossman pass in the Packers’ home opener... Ended Kurt Warner’s steak of 127 passes without an interception when he picked a pass at the Packers’ goal line intended for Amani Toomer vs. NY Giants (10/3)...Forced a fumble on Rams WR Isaac Bruce vs. St. Louis (11/29) that fellow DB Michael Hawthorne returned 34 yards for the final score in a 45-17 Packers win...In his final game as a Packer in Wild Card playoff loss to Minnesota (1/9/05), shared a sack of Daunte Culpepper with Grady Jackson and led Packers with 8 tackles.
2003 Started all 15 games played and both playoff games...Grabbed 4 of his 5 interceptions on the season in the final 6 regular season games...Ranked 4th on team with 91 tackles...Tied career-highs with 2.0 sacks and 2 forced fumbles...Named an alternate to the Pro Bowl...Snared an interception vs. Denver (12/28) in the season finale, picking off Danny Kanell, his 5th pick of the season...Notched 10 tackles and an interception of Drew Brees at the goal line at San Diego (12/14)...His performance vs. Chicago (12/7) helped key the Packers’ 34-21 comeback win, intercepting a Kordell Stewart pass at the goal line and returning it 50 yards to midfield at the end of the first half, knocking a pass loose that was intercepted by Packers teammate Mike McKenzie and blocking Stewart on a 90-yard TD return by McKenzie on his 2nd pick of the day...Grabbed game-sealing interception of a Brad Johnson pass at Tampa Bay (11/16)...Snared a Matt Hasselbeck pass en route to a 35-13 win vs. Seattle (10/5)...Set career-high with 2.0 sacks of Kordell Stewart at Chicago (9/29) on Monday Night Football...Notched 9 tackles vs. Philadelphia (11/10) in a Monday Night matchup...Posted 11 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles at St. Louis (10/19) in the 2nd half...Tied season-high with 11 tackles in Wild Card Playoff OT win vs. Seattle (1/4/04)...Forced a fumble on Donovan McNabb at Philadelphia (1/11/04) in Divisional Playoffs...Voted as a team captain for the playoffs by teammates.
2002 Ranked tied for 2nd in NFC and 3rd in NFL with 7 interceptions, trailing only the 8 by Tampa Bay’s Brian Kelly and Oakland’s Rod Woodson...Led the NFL with 233 interception return yards...Selected as the NFC’s starting FS in Pro Bowl, the 2nd Pro Bowl of his career...Honored as an All-Pro by The Sporting News, 2nd-team All-Pro by Associated Press and Football Digest and All-NFC by Pro Football Weekly...Started all 13 games he played...Inactive with hamstring injury at New England (10/13) and vs. Washington (10/20)...Inactive with knee injury for regularseason finale at NY Jets (12/29) and Wild Card playoff game vs. Atlanta (1/4/03)...Led Packers DBs with 80 tackles, 4th on the team...Notched career-long 89-yard interception return TD vs. Miami (11/4) on Monday Night Football when he picked a Ray Lucas attempt on the last play of the 3rd quarter. The return was the 5th-longest in Packers history and the 2nd-longest in the NFC in 2002...Intercepted Aaron Brooks at New Orleans (9/15) and returned the ball 44 yards to the Saints’ 14-yard line, resulting in a Packers TD on the next play...Intercepted Jim Miller against Chicago (10/7) en route to a 34-21 win over the Bears in a Monday Night contest in Champaign, IL, the only MNF game on the campus stadium during the Bears tenure there...Intercepted Daunte Culpepper in both meetings with the Vikings on the season, at Minnesota (11/17) and in Lambeau Field (12/8)...Snuffed a Bills scoring opportunity vs. Buffalo (12/22) when he picked Drew Bledsoe in the end zone in a 10-0 win, but suffered a knee injury during the 19-yard return that effectively ended his season as he was inactive for the regular season finale at NY Jets (12/29) and Wild Card Playoff game vs. Atlanta (1/4/03).
2001 Ranked 2nd on team with 113 tackles, matching his career-best...Set career-high with 2.0 sacks...Named All-Pro by Sports Illustrated, 2nd-Team All-Pro by Football Digest...Started all 16 regular season games and both playoff games...His 6 interceptions ranked 6th in the NFC...Tied career-best with 2 interceptions off Charlie Batch in season opener vs. Detroit (9/9)...Had 10 tackles and an interception off Elvis Grbac vs. Baltimore (10/14) in a 31-23 win over the Ravens and brother, Jamie, a starting LB for the team...Had career-high 14 tackles at Chicago (11/11)...Sacked Falcons QB Chris Chandler vs. Atlanta (11/18) and caught Browns QB Tim Couch vs. Cleveland (12/23)...Snared a Spergon Wynn pass in a 24-13 win vs. Minnesota (12/30)...Intercepted Kurt Warner at St. Louis (1/20/02) in Divisional Playoff game.
2000 Led NFL with 9 interceptions, the 1st time a Packer led the NFL since Willie Wood in 1962...Made Pro Bowl debut, starting for the NFC at FS...Honored as an All-Pro by Associated Press, The Sporting News, Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America, USA Today and College & Pro Football Weekly...Named All-NFC by Football News and PFW/PFWA...A 2nd-Team All-Pro honoree by Football Digest...Notched 101 tackles to rank 3rd among Packers defenders, his 2nd straight 100+ tackle season...Posted 1st career 2-interception day at Arizona (9/24) when he grabbed a pair of Jake Plummer passes in a 29-3 win...Duplicated his 2-interception performance on Monday Night Football vs. Minnesota (11/6) against Daunte Culpepper in a 26-20 OT win...Grabbed a Culpepper pass in rematch at Minnesota (12/17) he returned season-long 47 yards in 33-28 win...Nabbed a Donovan McNabb pass vs. Philadelphia (9/17) in a 6-3 win...Stole a Vinny Testaverde pass vs. NY Jets (9/3) in season opener.
1999 Led team with 113 tackles...Led or tied for team lead in 5 of the final 6 games of the season...Notched seasonbest 12 tackles at Tampa Bay (12/26)...Intercepted Trent Dilfer vs. Tampa Bay (10/10) in last-minute drive to preserve 26-23 win...Had 1st career sack at Dallas (11/14) when he caught Jason Garrett.
1998 Made debut as a starter in his 2nd NFL season, opening all 16 games, 13 at FS and 3 at LCB...Ranked 4th on team with 89 tackles...Opened season as Packers starting FS before moving to LCB to replace Craig Newsome, who suffered a knee injury, starting vs. Philadelphia (11/29), vs. Tennessee (12/20) and at Chicago (12/27)...Started 1st career playoff game at San Francisco (1/3/99)...Started 1st game in opener vs. Detroit (9/6).
1997 Regular on Packers dime defense in his rookie NFL season...Played in 14 regular season games and in all 3 playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXII...Tied a Packers record and set a Green Bay rookie record by scoring 3 TDs, scoring on a pair of interceptions and a fumble return...Broke Packers rookie record of 2 defensive TDs held by Charles “Buckets” Goldberg since 1933...Scored TDs on first 2 interceptions of his career...Snared 1st career interception vs. Detroit (11/2) off Scott Mitchell and returned it 50 yards for a TD in a 20-10 win...Scored 2nd TD of career when he forced a fumble on Cowboys RB Sherman Williams and returned it 34 yards for the score vs. Dallas (11/23) in a 45-17 win...Notched 2nd interception and 3rd TD of the season vs. Buffalo (12/20) when he grabbed an Alex Van Pelt pass and took it back 20 yards in the 31-21 win, along with making a spectacular special teams play when he came up from being dropped back in punt return formation and forced a fumble on Bills TE Lonnie Johnson who had caught a pass on a fake punt...Made playoff debut in Divisional Playoff vs. Tampa Bay (1/4/98) where he had 2 tackles and a pass defensed...Notched a pair of passes defensed in NFC Championship game win at San Francisco (1/11/98)...Originally selected with the 60th overall choice, the final pick of the 2nd round, of the ’97 Draft.
Earned All-America honors twice as a FS and return man at Division I-AA William and Mary...Named 1st-Team All-Yankee Conference 3 times...Set school record with 24 career interceptions and set a I-AA record with 468 career interception return yards...Set school record with 1,037 career punt return yards...Earned Yankee Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior...Tied for I-AA lead with 10 picks as a senior...Team advanced to I-AA national quarterfinals as a senior...Won Conference title as senior in 1996, the 1st since 1970.
Earned bachelor’s degree in sociology from William & Mary...Active in several community programs in Wisconsin and his home state of Virginia…Has a foundation “Sharper Kids”…Brother, Jamie, played LB in the NFL for 8 seasons…The Sharper brothers were the 4th and 30th picks in the 2nd round of the 1997 NFL Draft, Jamie going to Baltimore with the 34th overall pick and Darren to Green Bay with the 60th selection...Father, Harry, went to training camp with Kansas City in 1971...Played with former Vikings defensive coordinator and current Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin at William & Mary, where the pair were also fraternity brothers...Has worked as a TV color commentator for NFL Europa games in from 2004-07…Has a daughter, Amara.