• Returned to Minnesota in 2019 after spending the 2018 season with the Seattle Seahawks.
• Appeared in nearly 40% of defensive snaps for the Vikings #1 ranked defense in 2017.
• The 1st player from UConn drafted by the Vikings since RB Vince Clements (1971).
• Notched 51 tackles, 2nd only to LB Anthony Barr among Vikings rookie defenders in 2014.
• Received bachelor's degrees in economics and sociology.
• Father served in U.S. Air Force.
• Participates in many Vikings community outreach efforts.
• Surname pronounced STEF-en.
• Drafted in the 7th round (#220 overall) in the 2014 NFL Draft.
• Signed by Seattle as a free agent on 3/26/18.
• Rejoined Vikings by signing a 3-year contract on 3/11/19.
• Appeared in 15 games with 15 starts in 2019, finishing with 36 total tackles.
• Recorded a season-high 6 tackles, 1 TFL and his 1st sack of the season at Chicago (9/29).
• Made 3 solo tackles vs. Philadelphia (10/13), giving him 100 solo tackles for his career.
• Notched his 1st-career PBU at Detroit (10/20).
• Recorded the 3rd fumble recovery of his career and 1st of 2019 vs. Washington, also tallying 1 TFL (10/24).
• Forced his 1st career fumble on the 1st play of the 2nd half at LA Chargers (12/15), finishing the game with 2 tackles 1 QBH and 1 PD.
• Made 1st career postseason start as a Viking in Wild Card game at New Orleans, recording 2 tackles (1/5/20).
• Recorded 2 solo tackles in the Divisional game at San Francisco (1/11/20).
• Played in 15 games with 14 starts in his 1st season as a Seahawk, totaling 25 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 3 QBHs.
• Posted a season-high3 tackles vs. Dallas (9/23).
• Made 2 solo stops in his 1st game against Minnesota (12/10), the team that drafted him.
• Started at Dallas (1/5/19) in the Wild Card round.
• Posted the 1st sack of his career vs. Tampa Bay (9/24), finishing with 2 total tackles (1 solo), 1 TFL and 1 QBH.
• Tallied 5 tackles (3 solo) and a QBH vs. Baltimore (10/22).
• Tallied 2 QBH at Washington in his 1st start of the year (11/12).
• Registered 4 tackles (3 solo) at Carolina (12/10).
• Posted 2 solo tackles and a QBH vs. Cincinnati (12/17) to help the Vikings clinch the NFC North title.
• Played on defense vs. New Orleans (1/14/18) in the Divisional
• Round before leaving due to injury.
• Started all 16 games for the 1st time in his career and collected a career-best 57 tackles.
• Had 5 tackles and a career-high 5 QB hurries at Carolina (9/25).
• Posted 6 tackles (2 solo) and the first TFL of his career at Washington (11/13).
• Registered a season-high 7 tackles (3 solo) vs. Indianapolis (12/18).
• Saw action in 5 games before being sidelined with toe injury that placed him on Injured Reserve.
• Recovered 1st career fumble vs. Detroit (9/20), scooping up a Theo Riddick fumble forced by Harrison Smith.
• Had season-best 2 tackles vs. San Diego (9/27) in season-high 20 defensive snaps.
• Played in all 16 games, the only Vikings rookie to do so, and started 3 times.
• Had a tackle in every game.
• Played in season opener at St. Louis (9/7) and notched 2 tackles.
• Had season-high 4 tackles at New Orleans (9/21).
• Made 1st career start vs. Green Bay (11/23), replacing Shariff Floyd at DT against the Packers, matching his career-best with 4 tackles in the game.
• Started 2nd career game vs. Carolina (11/30) and notched career-best 10 tackles, with 5 solo stops.
• Had season-high 4 QB hurries at Miami (12/21).
• Started 30 of 46 games, including the final 22 games.
• Named 2nd-Team All-American Athletic Conference after recording 60 tackles, 3 sacks and 10 TFLs as a senior.
• Named Team MVP for 2013 season and team captain.
• Started final 10 games of 2012 season after missing the first 2 due to an injury.
• Registered 26 tackles, 4 passes defensed and 2 TFLs as a junior.
• Earned Honorable Mention Freshman All-American honors as a redshirt freshman in 2010, recording 27 tackles, 4 TFLs and
• Two-sport standout at Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, New York) High School, playing football and basketball.
• Earned All-American Lutheran Team honors after guiding school to 7-2 record as a senior.
• Finished final prep year with 57 tackles, 12.0 sacks and 2 blocked kicks.
• Played 1 season of basketball with Philadelphia 76ers player Tobias Harris.
