• Donated his earnings from appearing in the Madden NFL video game to Minnesota's North Memorial Hospital for PPE supplies to help front-line workers in the fight against COVID-19.
• Named to the Pro Bowl for the 2nd consecutive year in 2019.
• Tied for 4th in the NFL with 14.5 sacks in 2019, tying his career high set in 2018. Also tied for 9th with 15 TFLs (league stats).
• Recorded 29.0 sacks and 36 TFLs during 2018-19 seasons, 3rd-most and 2nd-most in the NFL during that span (league stats).
• With 3.0 sacks vs. Detroit (12/8/19), became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50.0 career sacks (since sacks became an official stat in 1982), hitting the mark at 25 years and 40 days old. Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Lions.
• Named a 2nd-Team All-Pro edge rusher by The Associated Press for 2018 season. Also named to the PFWA's All-NFL and All-NFC teams and Sporting News' NFL All-Pro Team.
• The 1st player since J.J. Watt and Khalil Mack in 2015 to record at least 70 total tackles, 14.0 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in a season, doing so in 2018.
• In 2016, he became the youngest player in Vikings history to lead the team in sacks (12.5), the most by an NFL DE and tied for 3rd in the NFL.
• Played 5 seasons of football, 2 as a prep and 3 in college, before being selected in the NFL.
• Name is pronounced Duh-neal.
• Majored in sports administration at LSU.
• Son of Kimari Bonito and Ckeikh Ndiaye; uncle is a Marine.
• Parents are of Jamaican descent; the family moved to the United States when Danielle was 8 years old.
• Has frequented community service events since arriving in Minnesota and is supportive of the Boys & Girls Clubs.
• Visited Iceland during the 2017 offseason with Kyle Rudolph and Linval Joseph as a part of the team's Viking Heritage trip.
• Enjoys flying his Inspire 1 drone.
• During 2016 NFL Draft, he announced the Vikings 4th-round pick during a community event at Mall of America.
• Enjoys motor sports and is a car and motor parts enthusiast.
• Named to PFWA's All-Pro and All-NFC teams in 2019.
• Earned consecutive Pro Bowl berths in 2018 and 2019.
• Named 2nd-Team All-Pro by TheAssociated Press in 2018.
• Named to the 2018 All-NFL and All-NFC teams by the PFWA.
• Named to the Sporting News 2018 NFL All-Pro Team.
• NFC Defensive Player of the Week- vs. Detroit (12/8/19) and vs. Detroit (11/24/18).
• Named to 2015 PFWA All-Rookie Team.
• Drafted by the Vikings in 3rd round (#88) in 2015.
• Signed contract extension on 6/27/18 prior to training camp.
• Placed on Reserve/Injured list on 9/9/20.
• Holds NFL record for most sacks before turning 25 years old and the youngest player to record 50+ sacks, since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
• Did not appear in any games in 2020 after suffering a season-ending injury prior during training camp.
• Placed on Reserve/Injured list on 9/9/20.
• Earned Pro Bowl honors for 2nd straight season.
• Started all 16 games, tied career-high and led Minnesota with 14.5 sacks (tied for 4th in the NFL).
• Tied for 9th in the NFL with 15 TFLs in 2019.
• Tied a career high with 9 total tackles at Green Bay (9/15) while notching 1.0 sack and 2 TFLs in his 2nd consecutive game.
• Led the team with 6 QBHs and 2 TFLs while notching his 1st sack of the season vs. Atlanta (9/8) and made 4 tackles (3 solo).
• Set the NFL record for most sacks (46.0) by a player prior to turning 25 years old with 1.0 sack vs. Philadelphia (10/13).
• Logged the 9th multi-sack game of his career with 2.0 sacks at NY Giants (10/6) and tied for the team lead with 7 total tackles.
• Wrapped up 3.0 sacks vs. Detroit (12/8) in his 75th career game appearance, his 2nd career game with 3.0 sacks or more. His 1st sack of the day made him the youngest NFL player since 1982 to reach 50.0 career sacks, doing so at 25 years and 40 days of age, and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
• Finished with 5 tackles (4 solo), a career-high 2 FFs, 1 FR and 1.0 sack at LA Chargers (12/15). His strip-sack of Philip Rivers was recovered and returned for a TD by DE Ifeadi Odenigbo.
• Finished with 1.5 sacks in the Wild Card win at New Orleans (1/5/20), including a crucial 4th-quarter strip-sack that stalled a potential scoring drive.
• Made 1.0 sack in the Divisional Round at San Francisco (1/11/20), giving him 2.5 sacks in the 2019 playoff run.
• Earned Pro Bowl honors for 1st time in his career.
• Led the team and set career high with 14.5 sacks in 2018, the 4th-highest sack total in the NFL.
• Became the 1st Viking to record 14.0+ sacks since Jared Allen notched 22.0 in 2011.
• Started all 16 games for the 2nd consecutive season.
• The 1st player since J.J. Watt and Khalil Mack in 2015 to record at least 70 tackles, 14.0 sacks and 20 TFL in a season.
• Had 6 tackles (4 solo), 1 sack and 2 QBHs at Green Bay (9/16).
• Extended his sack streak to 4 straight games by bringing down Jared Goff in the 3rd quarter at LA Rams (9/27). Added 6 tackles (3 solo) and 4 QBHs.
• Notched his 5th straight game with at least 1.0 sack at Philadelphia (10/7), catching Carson Wentz in the 3rd quarter.
• Had 3 tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL, a career-high 8 QBHs, and 1.0 sack at NY Jets (10/21), his 7th consecutive game with 1.0 sack.
• Turned in the best game of his career vs. Detroit (11/4), totaling 3.5 sacks, 4 TFL, and 9 total tackles (6 solo) - all career highs - while adding 7 QBHs and a 32-yard FR TD to help seal the victory in the 4th quarter. His 3.5 sacks were key for a defense that set a franchise record with 10 total sacks. Was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
• Broke his then-personal season record with 2.0 sacks vs. Miami (12/16), moving his season total to 14.5.
• Started all 16 games in his 1st full season as a starter with 49 tackles and 7.0 sacks for the league's #1-ranked defense.
• Contributed 3 tackles (2 solo), a FF and 5 QBH vs. Cleveland (10/29) at Twickenham Stadium in London, England as a part of the NFL's International Series.
• Recorded 4 solo tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 TFL and 5 QBH at Washington (11/12), extending the Vikings streak of games with a sack to 11 dating back to 2016.
• Wrapped up his 7th sack of the season along with 4 tackles vs. Cincinnati (12/17) to help the Vikings win the NFC North title.
• Made 4 tackles (3 solo) and 4 QBH at Green Bay (12/23) as the Vikings shut out the Packers at Lambeau for the 1st time ever.
• Had 3 tackles, 4 QBH and 1 TFL vs. Chicago (12/31) as Vikings secured the #1 yards allowed and scoring defense in the NFL.
• Wrapped up 4 tackles (2 solo) and 3 QBH in the Vikings Divisional Round win vs. New Orleans (1/14/18).
• Totaled 6 tackles (5 solo), 2 TFL, a sack and a QBH at Philadelphia (1/21/18) in NFC Championship Game.
• Totaled 64 tackles (34 solo), 12.5 sacks, 14 TFL, 49 QBHs, 1 FF, 1 FR and 1 PD for the NFL's 3rd-ranked defense (314.9 ypg).
• Led NFL DEs with 12.5 sacks (3rd overall in the league), becoming the youngest player in franchise history to lead the team in sacks.
• Combined with Everson Griffen (8.0) and Brian Robison (7.5) – the NFL's only DE trio with 7+ sacks each – for the 2nd-most sacks by DEs (28.0).
• Became the 2nd player in team history (Jared Allen, 2009) to produce a safety (Week 3) and return a fumble for a TD (Week 1) in the same season.
• Scored his 1st-career TD on a 24-yard fumble recovery at Tennessee (9/11) and paired with LB Eric Kendricks (77-yard INT TD) to mark the 6th time in team history TDs were scored by INT and fumble returns in a single game.
• Had 5 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and 4 QBHs at Carolina (9/25), dropping Cam Newton in the end zone for the Vikings 1st safety since 12/4/2011 (Jared Allen vs. Denver) and the 1st on the road since 10/5/03 (at Atlanta).
• Matched his then-single-game career high with 2.0 sacks, totaling 7 tackles (4 solo), 2 TFL and 4 QBHs, vs. Dallas (12/1).
• Continued to develop throughout his rookie season, playing his best in the final month of the season.
• Was 1 of 7 Vikings rookies to start during the season.
• Ranked 2nd in the NFL for sacks by a rookie with 6.0, trailing only Washington LB Preston Smith.
• Started 1st career game vs. Kansas City (10/18) and had 1st shared sack, teaming with Sharrif Floyd to sack Alex Smith.
• Had season-best 6 tackles and 1.5 sacks vs. Chicago (12/20).
• Had 3-game streak late in the regular season when he had a sack in each contest - at Arizona (12/10), vs. Chicago (12/20) and vs. NY Giants (12/27).
• Played in 1st career playoff game vs. Seattle (1/10/16), notching 4 tackles in Wild Card Playoff game loss at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus, the coldest game in team history and the last game played in the Vikings temporary home before moving to U.S. Bank Stadium.
• Full-time starter for the Tigers as a sophomore and junior, playing in 38 games with 23 starts and capping his career with 23 consecutive starts.
• Had 4.5 sacks and 21.0 TFL in his career along with 142 tackles.
• Started all 13 games as a junior.
• Led LSU with 13 tackles for loss and ranked 10th in the SEC
• Scored lone career TD vs. Mississippi State when he picked up a QB Dak Prescott fumble and rumbled 25 yards for the score on the 1st play of the 2nd half.
• Notched career-best 12 tackles against Auburn.
• Capped college career with 9 tackles against Notre Dame in Music City Bowl.
• Started 10 of the 13 games he played as a sophomore.
• Earned 1st start in 4th game of sophomore season against Auburn and never let go of the job.
• In 1st career start, had 8 tackles against eventual National Champion runner-up Auburn.
• Played in 12 games as a freshman on special teams.
• 4-star recruit at Morton Ranch High in Katy, TX.
• Helped school earn 1st Class 5A state playoff appearance.
• Ranked as the No. 14 DE in the country by Scout as a senior.
