Andrew Van Ginkel Has Made NFL History
Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel ripped off a Daniel Jones pass against the New York Giants in Week 1 and scampered 10 yards for paydirt. Four weeks later, he did it again, this time off New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, taking a pick to the house from 54 yards away.
Andrew Van Ginkel Has Made NFL History
In between, Van Ginkel has also fired up 3 sacks en route to Minnesota’s unblemished 5-0 start.
This isn’t normal. In fact, it’s record-setting.
During the Week 5 triumph over the Jets, Van Ginkel became the first player in NFL history to record at least 3 sacks and multiple interception returns for touchdowns in a season’s first five games. Before him, no player had ever done it.
Van Ginkel has started all five Vikings games in 2024, banking 19 total tackles, 14 QB pressures, 5 QB Hits, 3 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns. He’s also accountable for a marvelous 72.4 Pro Football Focus grade. He’s that damn good.
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 seven 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 right — and now his free-agent signing is setting NFL records through five games. Not bad.
Van Ginkel and the Vikings next take on the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 20th and are early three-point underdogs.
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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.
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