Tag: Danielle Hunter

Texans Wire Player of the Game: DE Danielle Hunter

Danielle Hunter set the tone in the final two drives to help Houston secure a 23-20 win at home over the Indianapolis Colts.

If Anthony Richardson had a clean pocket, perhaps he’s leading the Indianapolis Colts to an improbable comeback at NRG Stadium on Sunday.

If Richardson evades the sack on third down, perhaps the Colts are sitting atop the AFC South standings at 5-3.

Neither happened in the Houston Texans’ 23-20 win over the Colts. Richardson could get out of trouble, resulting in five sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Two takedowns came from Danielle Hunter, including the strip sack on the final play of the afternoon with one-second remaining.

“Multiple times we had pressure on him. Credit goes to our D-line the way they got after it up front,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. Danielle, Will [Anderson Jr.], [Tim] Settle, everybody was in on the action of applying pressure on the quarterback.”

Hunter headlined Houston’s defensive line Sunday. The front seven pressured Richardson on 60% of his drop-backs, tied for the highest pressure rate by a defense in a game this season, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

None of it mattered until the game’s final drive. Houston’s offense stalled on a three-and-out to waste the clock. The Colts wanted to march downfield and at least get into the field goal range to send the game to overtime.

Hunter wasn’t letting that happen. On the drive’s first play, he dipped past Bernhard Raimann and into the backfield opposite Anderson and Dencio Autry.

The quarterback looked confused about where the pressure was coming from. By the time Richardson evaded Autry’s initial takedown, it was too late.

There was Hunter forcing a strip-sack to secure the victory at home.

“We just wanted to leave no doubt today,” Anderson told reporters. “Let everyone know who the Texans D-line is. When they think about the Texans, they think about the d-line. That’s the message that we wanted to get out there.”

Hunter finished with two tackles, both coming on sacks that led to turnover drives. Without those two plays, the Texans could be sitting at 5-3 entering their matchup against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.

For that reason, Hunter is this Texans Wire’s Player of the Game. He joins running back Joe Mixon, kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, receiver Nico Collins, receiver Stefon Diggs and linebacker Neville Hewitt on the honor list for 2024.

Watch: Texans DE Danielle Hunter pulverizes Patriots rookie QB Drake Maye

Danielle Hunter destroyed Drake Maye to give back the ball to the Houston Texans.

After losing momentum at the end of the first half, the Houston Texans regained it three plays into the third quarter.

Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter defeated his block and unloaded on New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye, forcing a fumble that eventually would be recovered by Mario Edwards Jr.

The Texans would extend their 14-7 lead with a 3-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Stefon Diggs.

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Hunter recorded his first sack since Week 2’s win against the Chicago Bears. Houston has three sacks against New England, with Will Anderson Jr. providing the other pair in the first quarter.

Hunter has 2.5 sacks for Houston this season after signing a two-year, $49 million contract with the team in free agency. He replaced Jonathan Greenard, who signed on to Hunter’s replacement with the Minnesota Vikings.

The strip sack was the second turnover, Houston created in New England territory.

The first was Calen Bullock’s interception, which resulted in zero points after Kai’imi Fairbairn had a rare missed field goal.

With a win, Houston would start off the season 5-1, marking its best record since 2012.

Watch: Texans DE Danielle Hunter records first sack in Houston

Houston Texans marquee signing Danielle Hunter tallied his first sack in a Texans uniform by meeting Will Anderson Jr. in the backfield.

Welcome to NRG Stadium, Danielle Hunter.

Hunter, the Houston Texans’ top defensive addition of the offseason, took down Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams for his first sack in Houston.

Hunter and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. met in the backfield to bring down the No. 1 overall pick on third-and-9 for a 10-yard loss.

Hunter, 29, signed a two-year, $49 million deal with Houston in the offseason to chase a Lombardi trophy in his hometown. The former Minnesota Viking grew up in Katy and played high school football at Morton Ranch.

In Houston’s Week 1’s 29-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts ,Hunter tallied two pressures

Last season was a career year for the four-time Pro Bowler, totaling 16.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, both career highs.

Hunter’s sack limited Chicago to a field goal on its opening drive.

Texans DE Danielle Hunter explains why he drives same car

Danielle Hunter is a man of simple things, which is why he still drives a Nissan as one of the highest-paid Houston Texans.

Danielle Hunter is a man of simplicity.

The four-time Pro Bowl defensive end enjoys pressuring quarterbacks. He enjoys winning one-on-one matchups against offensive tackles while forcing his way into the backfield.

He enjoys setting a standard as one of the best edge rushers in the NFL.

But while Hunter’s time is dedicated to bettering his craft as a member of the Houston Texans’ front seven, he’s not spending his afternoons looking for cars.

During an interview with Overtime, he said he still drives a standard Nissan instead of a custom-made wagon like other stars.

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Hunter, a native of Katy, said he grew up driving a Dodge Challenger before switching over to the Nissan family. When did the switch happen? That part remains a mystery.

Even after the Texans gave Hunter a two-year, $51 million contract this offseason to return home, the former Vikings star drives the same ride.

Maybe he’ll upgrade after the season if the Texans advance past the divisional round for the first time in franchise history.

Hunter, who led the NFL last season with 23.5 tackles for loss, joined Houston’s potent defensive front as a running mate to Will Anderson Jr. So far, he’s been the talk of the defensive front with Anderson sidelined in camp.

Fans haven’t seen much of Hunter, but the little tape produced is promising. He terrorized Pittsburgh Steelers rookie offensive tackle Troy Fautanu during Week 1 of the preseason, totaling three pressures, two tackles, and a sack.

The Texans open the season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Sept. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Texans vs. Steelers Player of the Game: DE Danielle Hunter

Danielle Hunter came as advertised in his first preseason game as a member of the Houston Texans’ potent defense.

The Houston Texans looked ready to build off their AFC South division title season Friday night with a 20-12 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

C.J. Stroud connected twice with targets, including once in the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown to Tank Dell. Mario Edwards Jr. quietly totaled two tackles for loss and a sack against quarterback Justin Fields on the opening drive.

But the star of the game was Danielle Hunter, who quickly showed Texans fans why he could be in line for another All-Pro season opposite Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. He only saw action on seven plays, but each play left an impactful mark at Acrisure Stadium.

“He looks like a robot, rumors going around right now that he’s a new Transformer,” linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair told reporters postgame. “Obviously, he’s a great player, and he’s picking up where he left off.”

Hunter, a four-time Pro Bowl defensive end during his nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, totaled three tackles, two pressures, a tackle for loss and a sack. On third-and-8, he baptized Steelers rookie tackle Troy Fatanu with a “Welcome to the NFL” moment while pushing Fields down for a sack.

Four plays later, Houston would take an early 7-0 lead thanks to exceptional field position from the defense and a penalty against Pittsburgh punter Cameron Johnston.

Hunter, who signed a two-year, $49 million deal to return home, was brought in to replace Jonathan Greenard. Houston hasn’t featured a consistent double-digit sack machine since the days of J.J. Watt.

After helping Houston total a franchise-high 46 sacks last season, Greenard cashed in on a four-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. The Texans weren’t going to regress in that department. Hunter, 29, was looking to play closer to home after nine seasons with the Vikings.

Nicknamed “Cyborg” by his teammates and coaches, Hunter has been as advertised since joining the Texans. He’s been a vocal presence in the locker room but also an attentive teammate.

For his performance, Hunter earns the first Texans Wire Player of the Game this season.

Instant analysis of Texans’ 20-12 preseason win vs. Steelers

Here’s what Houston Texans fans need to know about from Friday’s preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Danielle Hunter has arrived. Tank Dell is flying high. C.J. Stroud is shining bright.

Welcome back to winning football, Houston Texans fans.

Stroud picked up where he left off last season by connecting with Dell for a 34-yard touchdown during the first quarter to set the tone in Houston’s 20-12 preseason win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.

The Texans will return to NRG Stadium for the first time in 11 days to begin preparation for their next two preseason matchups against the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams before the start of a new campaign.

Here’s the instant analysis of Friday night’s action at Acrisure Stadium.

Offense

Albeit far from a perfect night, Stroud delivered a pass that will have fans talking throughout the weekend. On third-and-9, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year evaded a sack and stepped up to deliver a strike downfield to Dell.

The throw was perfect. Dell’s quick shoulder shrug to evade a tackle and punch it in for six was even better.

Last season, it was clockwork between No. 7 and No. 3 for a perfect 10-type drive against opponents before Dell’s untimely broken leg injury. Before being ruled out for the rest of the year, Dell was on pace to finish with over 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

He’s back and looking better than ever after taking a few pointers from newcomer Stefon Diggs. Even though there are plenty of mouths to feed in Stroud’s “five-headed monster” arsenal, Dell might be one of the more important ones.

Stroud finished with two completions for 41 yards in two series before being pulled. He also connected with former Ohio State teammate Cade Stover for an 8-yard pickup when under duress.

Both the second and third-team offense struggled, though Robert Woods looked promising during the second quarter. He led all receivers with four catches for 42 yards. Even if he doesn’t make the team, a performance like Friday could fuel trade rumors.

Without a stable offensive line, the rushing attack remains an underwhelming unit. Houston finished with less than 100 yards on 23 carries and averaged under 3.9 yards per attempt. Xavier Hutchinson, a receiver first, recorded the longest run of the night for 19 yards during the third quarter.

Dameon Pierce struggled to create separation after being met at the line of scrimmage four times. He finished with four yards on the evening.

Watch: Texans Pro Bowl DE Danielle Hunter records first sack of preseason

Houston Texans splash free agent signing, Danielle Hunter, recorded his first sack with the team in Friday’s preseason contest.

For the first time this preseason, starters took the field for the Houston Texans on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the first time since putting pen to paper, Danielle Hunter made his presence felt as a member of DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

Hunter, the prized acquisition of the offseason, recorded his first sack in a Texans uniform by bringing down Steelers starter Justin Fields for a loss of eight yards on third down, forcing the Steelers to punt on their second drive.

The Texans would score on a 34-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Tank Dell on the following drive to make it 7-0.

Hunter, 29, joined Houston during free agency, agreeing to a two-year, $49 million deal with $48 million guaranteed. The signing paired him with reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr., who is not in action on Friday.

The Houston native Hunter spent nine years in Minnesota, playing eight and recording 87.5 sacks, including a career-high 16.5 last season along with 23 tackles for loss which led the NFL.

Vikings free agent signing deemed team’s worst contract by NFL analyst

Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson believes the signing of cornerback Shaquill Griffin in free agency is Minnesota’s worst contract.

Handing out bad contracts is something that every team’s front office dreads. However, it’s also unrealistic to think that there won’t be at least one bad contract on every team. Whether that’s due to simple poor performance, injuries derailing a career, or other external factors, it’s inevitable that a team regrets at least one contract.

For the Minnesota Vikings, that contract is recent free agent acquisition Shaquill Griffin, according to Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson. Robinson recently looked at every team’s roster and found the worst contract on each team, and this pick has less to do with Griffin himself and more to do with the circumstances surrounding it.

The Vikings had a clear need at the cornerback position, and Griffin was a solid option to fill that need. The Vikings also gave the veteran cornerback a modest deal, and just one year and slightly over $4.5 million. So why, then, is this deal for a former Pro Bowl cornerback deemed the team’s worst?

Robinson argues that this contract is the team’s worst because of the future ramifications the deal has. Namely that signing Griffin when the team did cancelled out one of the compensatory picks the team would have received in the 2025 NFL Draft for losing free agents Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter to the Falcons and Texans respectively.

Had the Vikings waited on signing Griffin until after the May 1st deadline, they would have been able to plug the hole in the secondary while also gaining the full slate of compensatory picks for next year’s draft — a draft where they’re already significantly strapped for capital.

The flip side of that argument is that, had the Vikings waited to sign Griffin, there’s no guarantee that he would have been on the free agent market when the team was ready to make a deal. Still, would that have been such a loss? Would the compensatory pick the Vikings sacrificed to sign Griffin have been better for the team in the long run? Only time will tell.

Texans DE Danielle Hunter ranked No. 68 in NFL Top 100 Players of 2024

Danielle Hunter appeared on the NFL’s top 100 list one day after Laremy Tunsil, but where did he land?

The NFL debuted its annual Top 100 Players of the Year on Monday, and so far, two Texans players have been mentioned heading into the weekend.

On Tuesday, Pro Bowl offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil made the list following another successful season, appearing at No. 71.

On Wednesday, newcomer and former All-Pro Danielle Hunter debuted at No. 68  on NFL+.

Hunter, a Houston native and four-time Pro Bowl defensive end, left a lasting mark in his final season with the Vikings last fall. Not only did he lead the NFL with 23.5 tackles for loss, but he also finished top-five in sacks with 16.5 takedowns.

Once in free agency, Houston became a prime destination given his background. Instead of taking a more lucrative deal, Hunter agreed to terms on a two-year, $49 million contract to play in front of the hometown crowd.

“Danielle is like having another coach on the field,” Texans defensive line coach Rodrique Wright said Wednesday. “He’s got a great football IQ.

Obviously, he’s one of the best pass rushers in the game and after practice, he’s babbling with the young guys. He’s teaching them rush moves. This front is made for men like him who can rush the passer.”

Hunter, who’s totaled 87.5 career sacks in eight years, is looking to extend that number in Houston. History suggests that he’ll reach at least ten before the postseason arrives.

Since being drafted out of LSU in 2015, Hunter has averaged 10.5 sacks per season when he’s played in at least 16 games. Outside of missing the entirety of the 2020 season due to a herniated disc in his neck, he’s remained quite durable.

Hunter mentioned he feels more free working in Ryans’ pass-rushing sets. Perhaps that leads to an NFL lead in sacks this fall?

Texans Training Camp: Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson’s work ethics wowing teammates

When the Houston Texans signed Danielle Hunter they paired two of the league’s hardest working pass rushers.

When Jonathan Greenard signed with the Minnesota Vikings early in free agency, it seemed Houston Texans star defensive end Will Anderson Jr. would have to shoulder a heavier load in Year 2.

Then, the Houston Texans gave him a running mate in Danielle Hunter to form one of the league’s top pass-rushing tandems.

Hunter, who spent eight seasons with Greenard’s-now Vikings, chose to return home on a two-year deal worth $49 million. A native of Katy, the four-time Pro Bowler dominated the local Houston competition at Morton Ranch High School before taking his talents to LSU.

Anderson’s relentless motor attracted Houston in the 2023 NFL Draft, leading it to mortgage a bit of its future to move up nine spots to No. 3 overall to make him the heir apparent of three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.

Together, they may be the NFL’s hardest-working duo.

“I sit next to Danielle in the locker room, and we talk every single day, same thing with Will, talk to him every single day and just their mindset and their work ethic just speaks for itself,” linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair said following Monday’s training camp practice.

The pair of 2023 Pro Bowlers combined for 23.5 sacks and 33 tackles for loss, including a league-leading 23 from Hunter, and both finished top 20 in pass rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

“Obviously, they’re great players, but it comes from the work that they put in as well,” Al-Shaair said.

Anderson’s offseason work has included putting on weight to better survive a full season, jumping from 248 pounds to 263. Early returns have been positive, albeit without pads thus far.

“I’m bringing my skills and knowledge, teaching everybody on the d-line skills that they need to take their game to the next level,” Hunter said after Friday’s practice. 

The duo’s relationship is growing, with Anderson calling Hunter “very approachable” while learning from the seasoned veteran.

Hunter, who has 87.5 career sacks, isn’t showing signs of slowing down after posting a career-high 16.5 sacks last season. He’s also been durable. Outside of the 2020 season and most of 2021, he’s played at least 14 games each year.

And when on the field, he’s been near-impossible to block.

 

Houston finished 2023 with a franchise-leading 46 sacks. Along with Hunter, the Texans signed Denico Autry, who has flown under the radar due to all the marquee names on the practice field.

Pads are on and fans will be eager to see the talented pass-rushing group, headlined by its two hardest workers moving forward.