New Viking Evidently Needs a Nickname
One-third because he grew up as a Minnesota Vikings fan, a third because his hair is sweet, and the other third because his on-the-field performance is fantastic — Vikings fans have fallen in love with outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
New Viking Evidently Needs a Nickname
The man has dazzled out of the gate for the Vikings in 2024, helping the purple team achieve its first 3-0 start to the season since 2016. And according to former NFL quarterback turned Amazon commentator Ryan Fitzpatrick, Van Ginkel has achieved nickname status.
Fitzpatrick tweeted Monday, one day after the Vikings clobbered the Houston Texans, a Super Bowl contender, by 27 points: “It’s time Andrew Van Ginkel needs a permanent nickname … he’s officially too good and too impactful of a player not to have one AVG? Ginks? The Ginkler? Rip Van Ginkel? Ginkenstein? Ginkel Ginkel little star?”
The beloved NFLer also got funky with more nickname options: “Gink-zill? Gink-a-doodle-do? The Ginkel-nator? Gink Almighty? Ginkmaster?”
Van Ginkel has started all three Vikings games in 2024, banking 14 total tackles, 4 QB Hits, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, an interception, and a touchdown. He’s also accountable for a marvelous 77.1 Pro Football Focus grade.
Fitzpatrick didn’t organize a formal poll or voting process, but most commenters settled on simplicity — “Gink,” which was essentially his moniker before the tweet.
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.
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.”
Van Ginkel grew up a Vikings fan, was raised in Iowa, and played college ball in Wisconsin.
His Vikings travel to Green Bay for a Sunday date with the Packers. It’s Gink’s first meeting with the purple team’s foremost foe. He played one game against Green Bay as a member of the Dolphins, but this go-round is obviously different.
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 MIN 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.
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