Vikings’ Danielle Hunter Earns $1 Million Incentive Bonus on Bizarre Play

Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter earned the final incentive bonus in his 2023 contract with one of the most unique sacks of his career during Saturday's game against the Bengals. 

Facing a third-and-1 in Minnesota territory, Bengals coach Zac Taylor dialed up a trick play, a jet sweep that put tight end Tanner Hudson in position to pass the ball. 

Hunter closed in on Hudson and dragged him down for the sack. In a bizarre turn of events, the Vikings defender triggered his incentive by sacking a nonquarterback, as noted by Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune. 

That has to be one of the few—if not the only—times in Hunter's career that he's sacked a player other than the quarterback. Perhaps the official scorer, who credited Hunter with the sack, was feeling the holiday spirit. 

Either way, the Vikings defender earned the final incentive in the one-year, $20 million contract he signed with Minnesota back in July. Hunter, who entered Saturday’s game with 13.5 sacks this season, earned $1 million for hitting the 11-sack mark, and another $2 million for notching 12.5 earlier in 2023. His takedown of Hudson pushed him past the 14-sack mark, the number needed to earn the final bonus.