During his seven seasons with the Vikings, Culpepper led the team to two playoff runs, one division title, and an NFC Championship Game appearance, along with earning three Pro Bowl selections.

However, Culpepper suffered a devastating knee injury the following season that ended his Vikings tenure and derailed his career.

Near the end of his high school team's state basketball championship game, the referee called traveling on Culpepper when he was driving for the game-winning lay-up.

[citation needed] Later on in his career, Culpepper celebrated his football touchdowns by moving his hands in the motion that a basketball referee makes when calling traveling, also known as "the roll".

After his junior season, Culpepper was being lured out of the collegiate ranks to enter the draft and join the NFL, but instead returned to UCF to play his senior year.

He completed 60 percent of his passes or better in nine of his 11 outings, including twice when he surpassed the 70.0 mark and had a passer rating of 100.0 better in two contests where the Vikings were 1–1 in those games.

Culpepper's rushing total ranked third among NFL quarterbacks, trailing only Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart (537) and Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb (482).

Culpepper's ten rushing scores led all NFL QBs in 2002 and also marked the sixth-highest total by a QB in NFL history, trailing only Cam Newton (14 for Carolina in 2011) and (12 for New England in 2020), Steve Grogan (12 for New England in 1976), Johnny Lujack (11 for Chicago in 1950), Tobin Rote (11 for Green Bay in 1956), Kordell Stewart (11 for Pittsburgh in 1997), and Kyler Murray (11 for Arizona in 2020).

Passing for a league-leading 4,717 yards, a Viking-record 39 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions, Culpepper was named to his third career Pro Bowl.

Rumors surfaced that Culpepper was unhappy with his status in Minnesota due to the re-emergence of Brad Johnson following his injury.

Culpepper said because of the fundamental differences I have with management regarding the approach to my personal and professional life, I think it is the best business decision for both parties to go our separate ways.

[14] Culpepper was traded to Nick Saban’s Miami Dolphins in exchange for a second-round draft pick.

Although still recovering from a serious knee injury the previous year, Culpepper was able to attend and participate in all of the Dolphins' offseason practices, including training camp.

Saban had decided to bench Daunte until his shoulder recovered and he got more of the mobility back that he lost due to his knee injury.

[21] On December 25, 2006, Steve Young appeared as a guest announcer during the Dolphins’ second to last game and criticized Culpepper's work ethic.

On January 21, 2007, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that despite public assertions by Saban, his decision to bench Culpepper actually had little to do with his knee and more to do with his head.

[23] In the absence of Culpepper, the Dolphins relied on quarterbacks Cleo Lemon and Gibran Hamdan, both of whom were considered unproven, and had, up to that point, combined for only a single regular season start.

In the Dolphins’ initial mini-camp under first-year coach Cam Cameron, both the players struggled to move the offense.

This poor performance led to an April 15 report that stated a much-discussed trade for Kansas City’s Trent Green was imminent, for Culpepper was unable to participate in the minicamp as he continued to recover from knee surgery.

[24] The weekend previous to the report, Culpepper revealed that the second surgery, which was designed to address scar tissue in the knee, was more serious than anyone originally divulged, and called for a rehabilitation period of 4–6 months.

[28] Informed by quarterbacks coach Terry Shea that he would not be permitted to take part in any team drills during the Dolphins' June 8–10 minicamp, Culpepper stated that he would seek intervention from the NFL Players Association to end the stalemate.

[31][32] Some sources said Culpepper suffered the injury when he ran a race with Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt, a college sprinter, after practice but head coach Lane Kiffin declined knowledge of the alleged incident.

On August 29, 2008, Culpepper then changed his mind and stated that he would consider a backup role in Green Bay if they were still interested in him, but the team did not put forth an offer.

[38] On October 23, Culpepper stated through an email to Adam Schefter that he would come out of retirement and give the NFL another shot.

[39] On November 2, 2008, ESPN reported that he had agreed to a two-year deal with the Detroit Lions and would join the team the following week.

[42] On February 16, 2009, the Lions reached an agreement with Culpepper for a restructured deal that would keep him on the team in the second year of his two-year contract.

On September 7, 2009, it was reported first overall draft pick Matthew Stafford was named the starter for the Lions regular season opener against the Saints.

In week 14, versus the Arizona Cardinals, Culpepper was benched in favor of third-string quarterback Drew Stanton after a poor performance.

On August 14, 2011, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that Culpepper was working out for the team on the following Monday to possibly add him to the 49ers roster.

[50] Culpepper also appeared in the movie 50 First Dates,[51] in the huddle and throwing a touchdown pass to Jim Kleinsasser when Sean Astin and Drew Barrymore were watching a football game.