Vikings' Byron Murphy: Takes step back in 2025-26

Murphy concluded the regular season with 71 tackles (48 solo), seven defensed passes (including two interceptions) and one fumble recovery over 17 games.

Murphy started all 17 of Minnesota's contests for the second straight season, but he couldn't replicate his 2024-25 Pro Bowl campaign. Murphy finished with 10 fewer stops and seven fewer pass defenses, and while he tied for the Vikings' lead with two pickoffs, that number was well below the six he recorded the previous season. Murphy was still a central part of the team's defense and should continue to fill that role next season in what will be the second year of the three-year extension he signed last March.