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‘I want to be a Viking forever’: Danielle Hunter back at practice with new contract in tow

dane mizutani, pioneer press
·4 min read

Vikings star pass rusher Danielle Hunter is a man of very few words. He always has been. He always will be.

It’s something new defensive coordinator Brian Flores noticed right away about Hunter when he first talked to him.

Fittingly, when asked Monday if he wants to finish his NFL career in Minnesota, the 28-year-old Hunter managed to make his point using very few words. He paused for a second, stared directly at the reporter, then replied, “I want to be a Viking forever.”

That’s not exactly a guarantee after Hunter signed a new contract with the Vikings over the weekend. Though the deal could be worth up to $20 million this season, it lacks the term that Hunter’s representatives were looking for throughout the process.

That means Hunter will be a free agent after this season. Not that he’s thinking about that right now.

“Whenever that time comes, that time comes,” Hunter said. “The big thing is I’m here now for my teammates and my coaches. They need me to be myself this season. That’s what I’m going to do.”

It was a long process to get to this point, with Hunter missing all of organized team activities this spring as well as mandatory minicamp. He reported to training camp to avoid a daily $50,000 fine, then proceeded to sit out practices while his agent Zeke Sandhu negotiated his new contract.

“That’s his job,” Hunter said when asked if this has been stressful. “My job is ultimately to keep myself in shape.”

He’s certainly done that. Not many people in the league have Hunter’s physique, which was on full display when he walked out of the Vikings locker room for practice.

“He’s big,” said pass rusher Marcus Davenport, who will line up opposite Hunter in most formations. “I swear, every time I see him, I’m like, ‘You must weigh more than me.’ He actually doesn’t. He’s just so strong. He’s someone I look at and I’m like, ‘Dang, you’re a beast.’ ”

It helped matters that Hunter didn’t have to recover from a serious injury this time around. After missing the 2020 season with a neck injury, then most of the 2021 season with a pectoral injury, this is the first time Hunter has been able to use the offseason to focus on training rather than rehabbing.

“I was able to focus and train and get my body right,” Hunter said. “It was a plus for me.”

His presence is a plus for the Vikings.

“We are a better football team with Danielle Hunter,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “It’s great to see him back out there in the defensive huddle.”

As of right now, Hunter isn’t participating in team as the Vikings gradually introduce him back into practice. He did participate in a number of individual drills on Monday.

As for how Flores plans to use Hunter, he noted that Hunter is a player he would rather see go forward than backwards. In other words, Hunter will be getting after the quarterback way more than he will be dropping into coverage.

“He’s an exceptional player,” Flores said. “We’re excited to have him as a part of the defense.”

The key for Hunter now will be familiarizing himself with the defense’s new scheme as quickly as possible. Let’s just say some of the blitzes Flores dials up are a little more complex than what former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell called the past few seasons.

“I’m learning the playbook right now,” Hunter said. “I like what I’ve seen so far. It’s a good combination of everything. I’ll go out there and do whatever Coach Flo tells me to do.”

If anything is clear talking to Hunter, it’s that he has no hard feelings toward the Vikings. He simply is excited to get back on the field.

“I love this organization,” he said. “I’ve always been an advocate for these dudes. I’m happy to get back out there on the field with my teammates. I just want to play football.”

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