The Minnesota Vikings secured a surprising 27-24 victory against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, but a controversial play during the game has drawn significant attention. Kalif Raymond’s blindside block on linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel—who later called it a “dirty play”—ignited a fierce debate. This incident created robust conversations across players and coaches about the ramifications of these behaviors in the NFL.
Kevin Seifert is a digital reporter for ESPN, having covered the NFL and other sports for more than 20 years. Prior to ESPN, he spent years as a beat reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Washington Times. His reflections on the Vikings’ most recent game cut to the heart of one of the most challenging dilemmas to navigate in today’s NFL—player safety vs. competitive sportsmanship.
Then in perhaps the game’s critical play, Van Ginkel blew up a Jahmyr Gibbs run for one-yard loss. At the same time, Raymond, who had originally set up as an outside receiver, had come in motion and completed a blindside block. Van Ginkel easily glided across the new turf field at Ford Field. He soon found himself on the receiving end of a hit that he would later characterize as a “cheap shot.”
Reflecting on the incident, Van Ginkel remarked, “I think that it’s something that the league should look at if it’s something that they need to take out of the game.” He continued to express his concern about the safety risks involved: “When you’re pass rushing like that, you are not anticipating someone blindsiding from the side. I’m just getting off the ball, getting a nice pass rush. I had no clue he was there. And how are we expected to defend ourselves in those situations?
Luckily, coach Kevin O’Connell wasn’t afraid to call a spade a spade. He wanted to drive home the importance of the play, so he showed a clip of the play to the whole team during a meeting. Despite the controversy surrounding the block, O’Connell praised Van Ginkel’s performance and resourcefulness throughout the game, stating, “He provides so many layers of things to our defense.” O’Connell Oracle mode on Van Ginkel’s versatility makes everyone around him better, making those guys like that […] play at a really high level right now.
Van Ginkel’s performance is especially noteworthy considering he had missed five of the Vikings’ previous six games due to a neck injury and a concussion. His bounce back to second-team All-Pro status a season ago only strengthens the potency of the Vikings’ defensive front.
Conversations about player safety and sportsmanship in the league are constantly changing and developing. Van Ginkel’s unfortunate experience was a reminder of how rough and brutal football can be, and the importance of doing everything possible to protect players competing on the field.
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