What’s a divisional matchup without a little turmoil? Andrew Van Ginkel fed the fire a bit with reporters at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota when commenting on a blindside block he received from Detroit Lions WR Kalif Raymond.
Van Ginkel did end up making the play after receiving the blindside block anyway, but that didn’t change his opinion on it. The star edge rusher was very obviously bothered by the rep by Raymond, as evidenced by his comments about it:
“I kinda thought it was a dirty play…Obviously, getting hit on the side, I’m just going to pass rush and all of a sudden I get whiplash because a guy blindsides me. I’m not gonna go into too much detail about it, but I wasn’t too pleased with it, and I think that it’s something that the league should look at, if it’s something they need to take out of the game. Because we can’t be doing that.”
Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel on Kalif Raymond’s Blindside Block
Will Ragatz from Minnesota Vikings Sports Illustrated wrote up Kevin O’Connell’s response to the play nicely:
“I showed the team of a clip of him today, he got hit from outside, got knocked from kind of a blindside block on a screen, and he’s on the ground but still recognizes that Gibbs had the ball on a screen and he makes the play,”
Minnesota Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell
Andrew Van Ginkel Has Solid Day In Detroit
GettyMinnesota Vikings edge rusher eyes down Lions’ offense pre-snap on Sunday, November 2nd 2025 at Ford Field in a Week 9 NFC North showdown.
Sunday was Van Ginkel’s first action since Week 3 due to a neck injury that has kept him sidelined for a majority of the regular season to this point. It was a good day for the veteran that didn’t see him fill up the box score, as he only posted 3 combined tackles, a single QB hit and a tackle for loss.
His PFF grades were also very solid. He garnered a 75.1 overall defensive grade, 80.6 run defense grade, and a 73.2 run defense grade; all season-bests in those respective metrics. His main gripe from PFF was his pass rushing efficiency, receiving only a 61.9 pass rushing grade.
Van Ginkel Looking To Return To Form After Injury
GettyMinnesota Vikings edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel hyping up the crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Andrew Van Ginkel is looking to return to the standard that he set in 2024 after an injury-riddled beginning to 2025. Van Ginkel provided a ton of electricity to the Vikings’ defense last season, with a multitude of sacks, tackles for loss, and pick-sixes.
Though injury has limited his ability to flash for Minnesota so far this season, continued health should bring those big plays back in no-time. His lone year that he’s played in Minnesota in 2024 saw him paired with Jonathan Greenard, and the two became legitimately one of the best edge rushing duos in football.
Andrew Van Ginkel was awarded for his 2024 performance, signing a one-year, $23 million contract extension in April of 2025, a deal that came mostly guaranteed at $22.4 million.
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