Eagan, Minn. (December 11, 2019) – Vikings DE Danielle Hunter has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 14.

At 25 years and 40 days old, Hunter became the youngest player in NFL history to record 50 career sacks. A former third-round pick, Hunter achieved the milestone on the third play of Minnesota's 20-7 win over Detroit on Sunday when he dropped Lions QB David Blough for a 6-yard loss. He surpassed the record previously set by Robert Quinn, who reached his 50th sack at the age of 25 years and 167 days. Hunter went on to tally 2.0 more sacks in the game to push his career total to 52.5. The Texas native is the third Viking to record 50 sacks in his first five seasons with the team, joining Jared Allen (74) and Keith Millard (53).

Hunter leads all NFL defenders in quarterback pressures in 2019 and ranks third in the NFL since 2016 with 46.5 sacks. His 12.5 sacks this season are tied for fourth-most in the league.

It's the second NFC Player of the Week award of Hunter's career, having first earned the honor after his Week 9 performance vs. Detroit in 2018, also a career game for the defensive end as he recorded 3.5 sacks in the outing.

The Vikings have had 17 different players claim 22 total NFC Player of the Week Honors since Head Coach Mike Zimmer's hire in 2014.

VIKINGS NAMED NFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK UNDER ZIMMER

Defensive

Anthony Barr, LB

2014, Week 8, at Tampa Bay

Special Teams

Adam Thielen, WR

2014, Week 13, vs. Carolina

Special Teams

Marcus Sherels, PR

2015, Week 8, at Chicago

Defensive

Linval Joseph, DT

2015, Week 9, vs. St. Louis

Defensive

Terence Newman, CB

2015, Week 10, at Oakland

Special Teams

Blair Walsh, K

2015, Week 16, vs. NY Giants

Defensive

Everson Griffen, DE

2015,Week 17, at Green Bay

Defensive

Eric Kendricks, LB

2016, Week 1, at Tennessee

Offensive

Stefon Diggs, WR

2016, Week 2, vs. Green Bay

Defensive

Everson Griffen, DE

2016, Week 3, at Carolina

Defensive

Xavier Rhodes, CB

2016, Week 11, vs. Arizona

Offensive

Special Teams

Sam Bradford, QB

Kai Forbath, K

2017, Week 1, vs. New Orleans

2017, Week 7, vs. Baltimore

Defensive

Harrison Smith, S

2017, Week 16, at Green Bay

2018, Week 1, vs. San Francisco

Defensive

Danielle Hunter, DE

2018, Week 9, vs. Detroit

Offensive

Dalvin Cook, RB

2018, Week 15, vs. Miami

Defensive

Anthony Harris, S

2019, Week 1, vs. Atlanta

Special Teams

Dan Bailey, K

2019, Week 5, at NY Giants

Special Teams

Dan Bailey, K

2019, Week 8, vs. Washington

Offensive

Dalvin Cook, RB

2019, Week 10, at Dallas

Defensive

Danielle Hunter, DE

2019, Week 14, vs. Detroit