• Named to 3 straight Pro Bowls in 2015-17 and earned 2nd-team All-Pro honors in 2017.
• 9th in the NFL since 2014 with 49 sacks.
• His 66.5 career sacks ranks 7th all-time in Vikings history. His 13.0 sacks in 2017 was a new single-season career high.
• Attended same high school, Agua Fria in Avondale, AZ, as Vikings Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel.
OFF THE FIELD Active in the Leaders of Tomorrow program that makes meals available for school-age kids in Minnesota...He and his wife, Tiffany, have 3 sons, Greyson, Ellis and Sebastian...Takes part in the annual Vikings blood drive and community events with teammates...One of the most active Vikings in the team's off-the-field charitable endeavors...Majored in sociology at USC...Enjoys fishing and being on the water in his free time, with boating, wave
runners and water skiing among his favorite activities...Looked up to Vikings legend Randall McDaniel as a young athlete.
HONORS Was named a 2nd-Team AP All-Pro edge rusher in 2017...Earned Pro Bowl honors in 2015, 2016 and 2017...Earned Sporting News First-Team All-Pro honors in 2017...Voted #92 and #19 on the NFL's Top 100 list after the 2016 and 2017 seasons, respectively...Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for game at Carolina (9/25/16)...Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for game at Green Bay (1/3/16)...Named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October 2014...Tabbed 2014 Vikings Defensive MVP.
PRO Received 2nd-Team AP All-Pro honors as an edge rusher in 2017...Named to 3 consecutive Pro Bowls following the 2015-17 seasons...Registered 8 sacks in 2016, 2nd on the team...Led Vikings with 10.5 sacks in 2015...Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week in 2015 regular-season finale when team clinched NFC North title on Packers home field,
taking the title away after a 4-year streak of Green Bay
holding it...Has 10.0 career sacks against rival Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, including playoffs and 3.0 in 2016...Has scored 3 career TDs: fumble return vs. Chicago (1/1/17), INT return at St. Louis (12/16/12) and blocked punt return vs. Carolina (11/30/14)...Named the Vikings 2014 Defensive MVP...Re-signed with Vikings prior to the opening of free agency in 2014
offseason...Named NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October 2014 after recording 6.0 sacks and a FF in 4 contests...Recorded 5.5 sacks in 2013, including 2.5 in the last 2 games of season...Had 1st FF of his career vs. Pittsburgh in the NFL International Series in London (9/29/13)...Made impact on Vikings' defense in 2012, ranking 3rd on team with 8.0 sacks...Scored 1st career TD on 1st career INT at St. Louis (12/16/12), taking back a Sam Bradford pass 29 yards for a TD...Posted career-best 3.0 sacks vs. Green Bay (12/30/12) in regular season finale, a must-win game that gave the Vikings a playoff berth...Ranked 4th on team in 2011 with 4.0 sacks despite not starting a game...Notched 18 special teams tackles in 2011 (2nd on team)...Carved out role on special teams to get playing time as a rookie, seeing action in final 11 games of season...Burst onto scene with 5 tackles in his 1st career game at Green Bay (11/21/10)...Selected with the 2nd pick in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft (100th overall)...Declared for draft as a junior.
2018 Totaled 39 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 11 games played in 2018...Made 6 total tackles (4 solo) and 2 QBHs vs. Chicago (12/30)...Sacked Matthew Stafford for the 14th time in his career at Detroit (12/23), more than any other player in the NFL. Finished with 2 total tackles (1 solo), 1.0 sack, 1 TFL and 2 QBHs...Wrapped up 3 solo tackles, 2 TFL, 1.0 sacks and forced 4 QBHs vs. Miami (12/16)...Made 3 total tackles (2 solo) at Seattle (12/10)...Made 6 total tackles (5 solo) at New England (12/2)...Finished with 2 total tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL, 4 QBHs and 1.0 sack vs. Green Bay (11/25)...Wrapped up 4 tackles (3 solo) at Chicago (11/18)...Registered his 1st solo sack of the season vs. Detroit (11/4), helping set a franchise record as the team sacked Matthew Stafford 10 times. Finished with 4 tackles (3 solo), 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks, and 7 QBHs...Totaled 2 tackles (1 solo) and 1 QBH in his return to the field vs. New Orleans (10/28)...Inactive Weeks 3-7...Made 3 tackles (3 solo), 0.5 sacks, 1 TFL and 6 QBHs at Green Bay (9/16)...Tallied 0.5 sacks, 7 QBHs and 4 tackles (1 solo) against San Francisco (9/9).
2017 Finished the season with 47 tackles and career-highs in sacks (13.0) and FF (3) for the league's top-ranked defense...Made 2 solo tackles and 2 QBH at Philadelphia (1/21/18) in the NFC Championship...Filled the stat sheet in the Vikings Divisional Round playoff win with 1 sack, 2 solo tackles, 1 TFL, 3 QBH, a FF and a PD vs. New Orleans (1/14/18)...Tallied 4 QBH, 1 PD and 1 solo tackle vs. Chicago (12/31) as the Vikings secured the No. 1 defense in the NFL...Made 1 solo tackle and 3 QBH at Green Bay (12/23) as the Vikings shut out the Packers in Lambeau for the 1st time ever...Compiled 3 tackles (2 solo) and 5 QBH vs. Cincinnati (12/17) to help the Vikings clinch the NFC North..Led the team with 4 QBH and tallied his career-high 13th sack of the season at Carolina (12/10), adding 5 tackles (2 solo) and a TFL...Tallied his 3rd multi-sack game of the season on Thanksgiving Day at Detroit (11/23) after the birth of his 3rd son, Sebastian, that morning. He finished the day with 2.0 sacks, 4 solo tackles, 2 TFL, 7 QBH and 1 FF, tying his career-high with 12.0 sacks on the year and setting a new career-high with 3 FF...Returned from injury and tallied 2 tackles (1 solo) and his team-leading 13th TFL of the season vs. Los Angeles Rams (11/19)...Inactive at Washington (11/12) due to a foot injury...Posted his 10th sack of the season vs. Cleveland (10/29) at Twickenham Stadium in London, England as a part of the NFL's International Series, extending his streak of games with a sack to 8 games, tying Jim Marshall and Jared Allen for the longest streak by a Viking and joining Robert Mathis (2005) and Dwight Freeney (2009) as the only players since 1982 to record a sack in the 1st 8 weeks...He also added 8 QBH a TFL and 2 tackles (1 solo)...Cracked the Vikings all-time sack leaders Top-10 with 2.0 sacks vs. Baltimore (10/22)...Also tallied 6 tackles (5 solo) 4 QBH, 2 TFL and his 2nd FF vs. Baltimore...Totaled 4 tackles (3 solo), 1.0 sacks, 1 TFL and 4 QBH vs. Green Bay (10/15)...Had 2 solo tackles, his 6th sack of the year, 2 TFL, 2 QBH and his 1st FF of the year at Chicago (10/9)...Led the team and tied a career-high with 11 QBH vs. Detroit (10/1), added his 5th sack of the season along with 5 tackles (4 solo) and a TFL...Recorded his 4th sack of the season vs. Tampa Bay (9/24) and added 4 QBH...Turned in his 9th career game with 2.0+ sacks at Pittsburgh (9/17), finishing the day with 4 solo tackles, 2.0 sacks...Corralled his 1st sack of the season, 3 QBH and 6 tackles (5 solo) vs. New Orleans (9/11).
2016 Named to 2nd consecutive Pro Bowl...Combined with Danielle Hunter (12.5) and Brian Robison (7.5) – the NFL's only DE trio with 7+ sacks each – for the NFL's 2nd-most sacks by DEs (28.0)...Helped lead the NFL's 3rd-ranked defense (314.9 ypg), totaling 61 tackles (41 solo), 10 TFL, 8.0 sacks, 68 QBHs, 2 FF, 3 FR (1 returned for a TD) and 1 PD...Posted 3 tackles, 2 QBHs and his 3rd-career TD on a 20-yard fumble return vs. Chicago (1/1/17)...Recorded 2 tackles and 3 QBHs at Green Bay (12/24)...Notched 3 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QBHs and 1 PD at Jacksonville (12/11)...Registered a career-high 10 tackles (8 solo), 5 QBHs, 1 FF and 1 FR vs. Dallas (12/1)...Forced a WR Lucky Whitehead fumble and recovered a QB Dak Prescott fumble, which was forced on a Robison strip-sack, against the Cowboys...Notched 2 tackles and 3 QBHs in his 100th career game vs. Arizona (11/20)...Tallied 6 tackles, 5 QBHs and 1 FR, which led to a Minnesota TD 4 plays later, at Washington (11/13)...Posted a 7 stops, 2 TFL, 1 sack and 4 QBHs vs. Detroit (11/6)...Recorded 5 tackles, including 1 sack, at Chicago (10/31)...Registered 3 tackles and 2 QBHs at Philadelphia (10/23)...Notched 4 stops and a career-high 11 QBHs vs. Houston (10/9)...Recorded 1 solo stop vs. NY Giants (10/3)...Registered 4 tackles 3 TFL, 3.0 sacks and 9 QBHs at Carolina (9/25) and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week...Totaled 3 tackles, including 2 TFL and 1 sack, 5 QBHs and 1 FF vs. Green Bay (9/18)...Tallied 3 tackles and 5 QBHs at Tennessee (9/11).
2015 Keyed Vikings run to NFC North title and playoff berth by leading team in sacks with 10.5...Earned Pro Bowl honors for the 1st time in his career and was tabbed NFC Defensive Player of the Week at Green Bay (1/3/16)...Helped Vikings defense rank #13 in total defense...Earned NFC honors for Green Bay game when he had 6 tackles, 2.0 sacks and forced a fumble on a sack that was returned 55 yards for a TD by Captain Munnerlyn to help win at Lambeau Field for the 1st time since 2009 and wrestle the NFC North title away from the Packers after 4 years...Started playoff game vs. Seattle (1/10/16) and notched a sack on Russell Wilson...Had 3-game streak with a sack in middle of season, at Oakland, vs. Green Bay and at Atlanta...Had season-high 6 tackles at Green Bay (1/3/16) and in Wild Card playoff game vs. Seattle (1/10/16).
2014 Had a breakout season in his 1st year as a full-time starter, helping the Vikings defense have the most-improved defense in the NFL in 2014... 2014 Vikings Defensive MVP*...Recorded a career-best 12.0 sacks on the season in 16 contests...Started 16 games after entering the season after posting 1 start in his opening 4 seasons...Named *NFC Defensive Player of the Month in October after recording 6.0 sacks and a FF in 4 games...Returned a Jasper Brinkley blocked punt 43 yards vs. Carolina (11/30) for the longest blocked punt return TD in franchise history and the 2nd Vikings blocked punt return TD on the day, a franchise record and tying an NFL record for 2 blocked punt return TDs by the same team in 1 game...Recorded a sack in 5 consecutive games, a career-long streak...Had career day at Buffalo (10/19) when he recorded a career-high 9 tackles and tied a career-high with 3.0 sacks...Notched multiple sacks in 3 games, including the season-opening win at St. Louis.
2013 Finished with 5.5 sacks, including 2.5 in the final 2 games of the season...Recorded the game-winning strip-sack against Pittsburgh in the NFL International Series in London (9/29), the 1st FF of his career...Tipped a Jay Cutler pass at Chicago (9/15) that led to a Kevin Williams interception in the end zone for a touchback...Recorded sacks in back-to-back games twice during the season...Had a career-best 6 tackles and tied a career high with 3.0 TFL at Cincinnati (12/22).
2012 Came on strong late in season, posting 5.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD and 16 QB hurries in the final 7 games...Had a sack in his playoff debut at Green Bay (1/5/13) in NFC Wild Card game...Posted career-best 3.0 sacks vs. Green Bay (12/30) in regular-season finale win over Packers that gave the Vikings a playoff berth...Started 1st career game at Houston (12/23)...Scored 1st career TD on 1st career INT at St. Louis (12/16/12), taking back a Sam Bradford pass 29 yards for a TD...His 29-yard INT return TD ranks as the 4th-longest in Vikings history by a defensive lineman...Posted a 22-yard sack against Andrew Luck at Indianapolis (9/16), the 3rd-longest sack in team history.
2011 Played in all 16 games, notching 4.0 sacks (4th on team)...Ranked 2nd on team with 18 special teams tackles...Posted 1st career sack vs. Tampa Bay (9/18) when he caught Josh Freeman...Notched career-best 3 special teams tackles at Kansas City (10/2) and vs. Green Bay (10/23)...Versatile special teamer that played as a gunner on punt coverage at times as well as serving as a regular on return units...Contributed to the Vikings 50.0 sacks on the season, tied for 1st in the NFL...Helped Vikings special teams unit set a then-team record with 26.9 kickoff return average for the season and tied for 1st in the NFL with 4 kickoff returns of 50+ yards.
2010 Played in final 11 games after being inactive for the opening 5 contests...Notched career-high 5 tackles vs. Green Bay (11/21)...Had 5 QB hurries in a 5-game span with a season-high 2 vs. Buffalo (12/5)...Posted 8 special teams tackles, notching season-high 2 at Chicago (11/14) and at Detroit (1/2/11).
COLLEGE Helped USC win or tie for Pac-10 titles in 2007 and 2008...Helped the Trojans won Rose Bowl as a freshman and sophomore, topping Illinois as a freshman and Penn State as a sophomore...USC won Emerald Bowl over Boston College as a junior...Earned 2nd-Team All-Pac 10 honors as a junior...Burst onto the scene as a true freshman, starting 2 games...Started 2007 opener vs. Idaho as a true freshman, becoming the 1st USC true freshman to start an opener since Tim Ryan in 1986...Notched career-high 3.5 sacks vs. Oregon State as a true freshman.
PREP Attended Agua Fria High in Avondale, AZ...Named Super Prep and Scout.com Player of the Year in Arizona...Consensus All-American...Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year for Arizona...Had 16.0 sacks on defense and ran for 1,251 yards and 20 TDs on offense as a senior...Earned 1st-Team All-Region honors in basketball...Competed as a shot putter...Played AAU hoops.
