Former Boyden Hull Rock Valley Nighthawk now Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 16. The league made the announcement Tuesday.
Van Ginkel recorded five tackles, 2.0 sacks, three QB hits and two tackles for loss Sunday at Seattle in helping Minnesota to a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks and the team’s eighth straight victory. His two of sacks led the NFL in Week 16 and tied his career high. He’s reached that total in four other games, including two others this season. Those two came at Tennessee and in Detroit.
The 29 year old Van Ginkel is just the second player in NFL history to have 10 plus sacks and two interceptions for a touchdown in the same season since sacks became an official statistic. He joins Pro Football Hall of Fame DE Jason Taylor as the only pair to accomplish that feat. Taylor did it in 2006 and went on to earn NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors with two pick sixes and 13.5 sacks. Van Ginkel’s sack total is now at 11 and surpasses his previous single-season career best of 6.0 sacks with Miami in 2023.
It’s first time Van Ginkel has received Defensive Player of the Week honors in his six-season career. He joins two other 2024 Vikings free agent acquisitions to be named NFC player of the week. Fellow outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard and quarterback Sam Darnold have received NFC Player of the Week honors this season.
