Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans celebrates after the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings found a win in New Jersey right away in 2024, an important victory as the purple team’s schedule does not relent for the next two months.
Along the way, one new Viking stole fans’ hearts, dazzling every step of the way, including a quick-hitter interception return for a touchdown. He’s Andrew Van Ginkel, and fans just returning for the 2024 party rapidly learned about his skill set.
Minnesota signed Van Ginkel soon after long-time outside linebacker Danielle Hunter bolted in free agency to the Houston Texans, promising a one-two punch with him and Jonathan Greenard, who arrived from Hunter’s new team, the Texans. Six weeks later, Minnesota also drafted Dallas Turner for good measure, solidifying the Vikings’ pass-rushing plan for 2024 and beyond.
Immediately as a Viking, Van Ginkel put highlights on film like this:
Fans reacted to the touchdown in universally praiseworthy language. “I watched him play for the Dolphins a lot last year and was very impressed! I was thrilled when Minnesota signed him this past off-season,” Volaholic wrote on X.
PurpleFTW tweeted, “Gdi Andrew Van Ginkel is so damn good. One of the most underrated signings in the NFL.”
SKOL STL added, “Van Ginkel is a monster. What a defensive stand.”
Van Ginkel’s touchdown locked in Minnesota’s win as a verifiable blowout, the Vikings’ first win by 17 or more points in five years. The last time the purple team won a game in such manner? The 2019 season when Kirk Cousins and Co. chipped off the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Stadium, 39-10. After that December 2019 contest, the Vikings stopped convincingly beating teams — for five years. Thanks to Van Ginkel and others, blowout triumphs have returned, at least for a week.
In March, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah called Van Ginkel a “Mr. Do Everything.” He saw it coming. The young executive talked to KFAN’s Paul Allen five months ago and was almost giddy about Van Ginkel’s addition to the depth chart.
Adofo-Mensah assigned the nickname and elaborated, “I don’t think there’s a single thing on defense he can’t do.”
He also said about the Van Ginkel scouting report, “As a general manager, it gives you comfort when you can kind of pencil somebody into different spots. He can play edge. He can drop. I would say, if not the best dropper in the NFL, with his instincts, his ability to get out in space. But then he’s someone who has shown that he has a complement of moves that can stress tackles and is an incredibly versatile player, smart, just everything we want as a Viking. The hair doesn’t hurt, either.”
Adofo-Mensah was correct, especially after Van Ginkel’s 4 tackles, sack, and touchdown on Sunday.
Van Ginkel grew up in Iowa, cheering for the Vikings.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.