Vikings’ Will Reichard selected as first-team All-Pro kicker

The Vikings have two Associated Press All-Pro special teamers for the first time in franchise history.

Will Reichard was named first-team kicker ahead of Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey on Saturday, Jan. 10, while long snapper Andrew DePaola earned second-team honors and became the first long snapper in NFL history to post four consecutive All-Pro selections.

The AP All-Pro teams, recognized as the league’s official post-season awards, are voted on by a national panel of 50 media members. The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Mark Craig is one of the voters.

Voters were asked to vote for first and second teams. A first-team vote was worth three points while a second-place vote was worth one point.

Reichard, in his second season with the Vikings after being drafted in the sixth round out of Alabama, earned 55 points and 15 first-place votes to make his first All-Pro team. Aubrey, who beat out Reichard as the kicker for the NFC Pro Bowl roster, had 48 points and 12 first-place votes.

“Will’s been a machine,” DePaola said in December.

Reichard, who turned 25 on Jan. 9, made 33 of 35 field goals (94.3%), with his only two misses coming from beyond 50 yards (11 of 13). One of those two misses, a 51-yarder, appeared to veer sideways after hitting a camera wire in London, although the NFL officially denies that it did.

Reichard also was 31-for-31 on extra points, making him the league’s only kicker to make at least 92% of his field goals with no misses on extra points (minimum 30 attempts).

Reichard, who also was just named the NFC special teams player of the month for December/January (Weeks 14-18), is the fifth Vikings kicker to achieve AP All-Pro honors, joining Jan Stenerud (second team, 1984), Fuad Reveiz (second team, 1994) Gary Anderson (first team, 1998) and Blair Walsh (first team, 2012).

Reichard is the 33rd player in Vikings history to earn First-Team All-Pro recognition. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson was a unanimous first-team pick last year.

DePaola was first-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2024, and second team in 2023 and this season.

The Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford beat out New England’s Drake Maye for first-team quarterback. Three players were unanimous choices: Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrett, who set the single-season record with 23 sacks, and a pair of NFC West wide receivers in the Rams’ Puka Nacua and Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Eight other Vikings players received votes. They are:

• Ryan Wright, who finished tied for sixth among punters with eight points, including one first-place vote.

• Eric Wilson, who finished tied for 10th among linebackers with three points, including one first-place vote.

• C.J. Ham, who finished tied for sixth among fullbacks with two points.

• Jefferson, who finished tied for 10th among receivers with one point.

• Jalen Redmond, who finished tied for 12th among interior defensive linemen with one vote.

• Harrison Smith, who finished tied for 17th among safeties with one vote.

• Myles Price, who finished tied for seventh among punt returners with one point.

Craig put Reichard, DePaola and Wilson on his first team. Wilson, who had 115 tackles, 17 for losses, 6½ sacks, 10 quarterback hits and four forced fumbles, was one of 12 linebackers to receive first-team votes.

Craig put Redmond and Wright on his second team.

QUARTERBACK: Matthew Stafford, Rams

RUNNING BACK: Derrick Henry, Ravens

FULLBACK: Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers

WIDE RECEIVER: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks

WIDE RECEIVER: Puka Nacua, Rams

TIGHT END: Trey McBride, Cardinals

ALL-PURPOSE: Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

LEFT TACKLE: Trent Williams, 49ers

LEFT GUARD: Quenton Nelson, Colts

CENTER: Drew Dalman, Bears

RIGHT TACKLE: Penei Sewell, Lions

FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE

EDGE RUSHER: Myles Garrett, Browns

EDGE RUSHER: Will Anderson Jr., Texans

EDGE RUSHER: Micah Parsons, Packers

INTERIOR LINEMAN: Jeffery Simmons, Titans

LINEBACKER: Eric Wilson, Vikings

LINEBACKER: Jack Campbell, Lions

CORNERBACK: Mike Jackson, Panthers

CORNERBACK: Derek Stingley Jr., Texans

SAFETY: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens

SAFETY: Kevin Byard III, Bears

FIRST-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

KICKER: Will Reichard, Vikings

PUNTER: Jordan Stout, Ravens

PUNT RETURNER: Chimere Dike, Titans

SPECIAL TEAMER: Luke Gifford, 49ers

LONG SNAPPER: Andrew DePaola, Vikings

SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK: Drake Maye, Patriots

FULLBACK: Reggie Gilliam, Bills

WIDE RECEIVER: George Pickens, Cowboys

WIDE RECEIVER: Davante Adams, Rams

WIDE RECEIVER Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

TIGHT END: Dalton Schultz, Texans

LEFT TACKLE: Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers

LEFT GUARD: Joe Thuney, Bears

CENTER: Creed Humphrey, Chiefs

RIGHT GUARD: Kevin Dotson, Rams

RIGHT TACKLE: Mike McGlinchey, Broncos

EDGE RUSHER: Danielle Hunter, Texans

EDGE RUSHER: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

EDGE RUSHER: Josh Hines-Allen, Jaguars

INTERIOR LINEMAN: Zach Allen, Broncos

INTERIOR LINEMAN: Jalen Redmond, Vikings

LINEBACKER: Devin Lloyd, Jaguars

CORNERBACK: Nahshon Wright, Bears

CORNERBACK: Jamel Dean, Buccaneers

SLOT CORNERBACK: Derwin James, Chargers

SAFETY: Antonio Johnson, Jacksonville

SECOND-TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS

KICKER: Cam Little, Jaguars

PUNTER: Ryan Wright, Vikings

KICK RETURNER: Deonte Banks, Giants

PUNT RETURNER: Marcus Jones, Patriots