EAGAN, Minn. -- The 2024 Minnesota Vikings season may be temporarily marred by the recent injury to first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy. The one saving grace, besides the offense's splashy playmakers, a seemingly rejuvenated Sam Darnold and happy-go-lucky optimism of Kevin O'Connell's leadership?
The Brian Flores defense. There is Flores' reputation, of course, as a scheming whiz brought up under Bill Belichick, forever bent on confusing quarterbacks due to unpredictable and pressure-heavy alignments. There are the hopeful prospects (Dallas Turner) and proven veterans (Stephon Gilmore) at premium positions. And then there is the secret weapon forged alongside the Sioux River at the heart of America.
Andrew Van Ginkel.
Signed to a two-year contract this spring, the 29-year-old began his career with the Miami Dolphins. And he's listed at outside linebacker. But his half-decade of NFL experience in Florida masks the fact he was practically born and bred for the Midwest. His positional listing masks the fact he's built to do it all, an admitted chess piece for a coordinator who prides himself on disguising his on-field pawns. And his first summer in purple has not masked but rather uncovered a homegrown selflessness.
Born and raised in Rock Valley, Iowa (population 4,000), Van Ginkel knows he was targeted by the Vikings for his versatility, which began in high school as he juggled quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker and safety roles, and continued as a rotational pass rusher for the Dolphins.
"I try to be a Swiss Army knife, and that's ultimately why I'm here," he told CBS Sports after Monday's training camp practice. "Flo has a lot of respect for what I can do on the football field, to play multiple positions. Being able to know the whole defense allows me to play faster and play at different positions."
One of several experienced free agents to join Flores' unit, along with fellow edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, linebacker Blake Cashman, cornerback Shaquill Griffin and now Pro Bowl cover man Stephon Gilmore, Van Ginkel is determined for the defense to rewrite the narrative in Minnesota, where outside expectations have cooled after McCarthy's injury and amid rising talk of NFC North rivals.
"[We just wanna] prove that we're a legit contender," he said, "and that we're a team that's hungry. We're here to prove all of them wrong."
Before his first official snap as a Viking, Van Ginkel has already indebted himself to the community. Physically speaking, he was practically destined for Minnesota, sporting the long blonde locks and towering frame (6-4, 242) of an ancient warrior. Yet it was his work this summer, in his hometown nestled about four hours from the Vikings' TCO Performance Center, that really struck a chord in the region.
When heavy June rainfall caused a levee overflow back in Rock Valley, historic flooding threatened the homes and businesses of thousands. And Van Ginkel and his wife, Sam, were some of the first to lend their hand to the city, putting their own boots on the ground to organize free delivery of hot meals to displaced residents and others affected by the storms.
"Everybody can pick up and go help in basements and flooded places, but to have a hot meal three times a day was incredible," says David Miller, who works for the City of Rock Valley. "They took that off the city's plate. It was just a game-changer for the community."
Miller remembers both Andrew and Sam from their time growing up together in Rock Valley. And he was wholly unsurprised when the Van Ginkels returned to their roots when disaster struck, bringing with them $50,000 in relief funds donated by Vikings ownership, the Wilf family. Miller watched, years ago, as Andrew embraced odd jobs for the city maintenance staff, from painting road lines to sweeping sidewalks, witnessing the formation of a work ethic -- as well as a homegrown faith in God and tight-knit community -- that's carried the man to his ongoing NFL career.
"He is the epitome of what Rock Valley is," Miller says. "There was a thought, if he didn't get drafted, that he would have to come back for the job with the city. We joke all the time, he chose the NFL over the City of Rock Valley, Iowa."
In truth, Van Ginkel never relegated his original home. He always stood by it.
"I'm fired up to be close to home again," he said. "It's where my roots are. It's where I grew up. It's kinda everything I know. You see people hurting that you know. You see all the schools, the churches that were affected this summer. It was devastating. ... We needed to give back."
And that's just the start. Van Ginkel is busy, to be sure: Besides his community service, the former Wisconsin standout is also a father to two small boys, who are "equally challenging" to wrangle as pro quarterbacks. He's a dedicated husband to Sam, whom he deems "the rock" of his life and a proactive partner when it comes to NFL decisions. He's trying, in what little spare time he has, to soak up all the delicacies of Midwest life, be it cheese curds at the State Fair or summer days that don't demand nearly as much hydration as the Miami heat.
And he's preparing to become a fan favorite at U.S. Bank Stadium, angling to follow in the footsteps of childhood idols like Jared Allen and Chad Greenway, and turn the right spotlight back upon those Vikings.