Andrew Van Ginkel has been making game-changing plays for the Minnesota Vikings all season. His 11.5 sacks are second on the team, and he is the only player in the league to have two pick-6’s this year. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl for his work.
On Wednesday, former Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt joined The Pat McAfee Show. The future Hall of Famer was asked who he thinks should be NFL Defensive Player Of the Year, and he mentioned Van Ginkel.
A guy that I think is extremely overlooked in all this…. [is] Andrew Van Ginkel. up in Minnesota. [He has] two pick-6’s on the year. [He has] six PBUs (passes broken up).
He has over 75 tackles on the year (79). [He has] over 11 sacks. He’s doing everything in the run, in the pass, dropping back, rushing the passer, picking [the ball off], doing a little bit of everything.
And I think he’s overlooked, partially playing up there in Minnesota. I think Jonathan Gennard on the other side is also a great player. That duo doesn’t get talked about enough.
It’s high praise from a guy like Watt, who, despite playing defensive end, impacted games by not only sacking the quarterback and stopping the run, but also intercepting passes.
Van Ginkel may not be the frontrunner for Defensive Player Of the Year in 2024, but his contributions have been impossible to ignore in Minnesota. And when one of the game’s all-time greats takes notice, it’s a reminder that Van Ginkel’s impact is resonating far beyond the box score.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Vikings Wire…