The Minnesota Vikings selected edge rusher Dallas Turner to be a difference maker for their defense. It’s taken some time for the 2024 first-round pick to succeed, but to begin 2026, he’s really starting to flourish.
Turner had another strong outing against an NFC North rival Sunday. Versus the Chicago Bears, Turner posted five total tackles, including two for loss. He also had four quarterback hits and two sacks.
The third-year edge rusher already has three sacks in just two games. The effort Sunday ignited the Vikings defense against the Bears.
In Week 1, Chicago had 59 points. Just a week later on Sunday, the Vikings defeated the Bears 9-3.
After the victory, Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed Turner’s ascension to begin the 2026 campaign.
“I was really excited about the type of player that we would have in Dallas and how that would fit with hose we were going to play defense and his ascension is as expected, and the work he put in and the growth he’s had,” O’Connell told reporters. “You still love to see it.
“You love to see it happening right before your very eyes, and it’s just an awesome moment.”
Vikings’ Dallas Turner Gets Praise From Kevin O’Connell
Turner did commit a roughing the passer penalty Sunday against the Bears. The foul gave Chicago a first down during a drive in the second quarter.
But the third-year edge rusher came through with two sacks in the second half. His second sack was on the final play of the game with the ball sitting at the Vikings 12-yard line.
Chicago had one last chance to score the game-tying touchdown on fourth-and-2 with one second left in regulation. A touchdown and extra point would have given the Bears a dramatic last-second victory.
Turner ensured that didn’t happen with a nine-yard sack of Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent.
Turner now has as many sacks in two games this season as he did in all of 2024. Last season, which was his first year as a starter, the edge rusher had eight sacks with 11 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hits.
Thanks to the Vikings defense, Minnesota is 2-0 and sits alone in first place after Week 2.
Turner Gets Shoutout From Former Vikings Edge Rusher
O’Connell wasn’t the only one to praise Turner after his heroics in Sunday’s game. As he sacked Bagent to end the Week 2 affair against the Bears, Turner received a major shoutout from former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr.
“Dallas MF Turner,” wrote Barr on social media.
The two were never teammates, as Barr’s final NFL season was 2023. But Barr spent all but one of his NFL campaigns with the Vikings. Although he has become a national pundit on his podcast, he clearly remains a Vikings supporter.
Barr’s message on Turner at the end of Week 2 summarized how a lot of the team’s fan base likely felt when the edge rusher officially sealed the win versus Chicago.
Kevin O’Connell Opens up on Rising Star on Vikings Defense