Report: Texans add 1 year, $35.6M to Hunter's contract

The Houston Texans and Danielle Hunter agreed to a one-year, $35.6-million extension that will keep the defensive end under contract through the 2026 season, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Hunter, 30, had only one year left on his contract and was set to earn $23.7 million in 2025. He'll now make $32 million this season, according to Pelissero, who adds that the veteran defender will earn $55.1 million over the next two campaigns.

Hunter's one-year, $35.6-million deal gives him the second-highest average annual salary in the NFL among defensive ends behind only Myles Garrett, who recently signed an extension with the Cleveland Browns worth $160 million for four years.

Hunter amassed 12 sacks during his first year with the Texans in 2024. He joined Houston after spending his first eight NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.

Injuries were once an issue for Hunter, sidelining him for the entire 2020 season and limiting him to only seven games in '21. However, he played every regular-season matchup over the past three campaigns. The five-time Pro Bowler has recorded 99.5 career sacks in 136 appearances.

Hunter is a key contributor to the Texans' defense and forms one of football's most unstoppable defensive duos along with 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson.

Anderson and Hunter were the only two eligible players who pressured opposing quarterbacks on at least 25% of their snaps as pass-rushers this past season, including the playoffs, according to NFL.com's Tony Holzman-Escareno.