Jefferson & AVG Highlighted by FOX Sports
.@JJettas2 and @AndrewVanGinkel earned "All-Star" status on @FOXSports' Week 1 list.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2026
📰: https://t.co/ftxzTDPPZG pic.twitter.com/fdoN1zvxtU
https://www.vikings.com/news/lunchbreak-justin-jefferson-andrew-van-ginkel-week-1-efforts
There were special plays in all three phases of Minnesota's comeback win Sunday against Green Bay. But which players attained "All-Star" status? Two Vikings appeared on FOX Sports' Week 1 list.
Wide receiver Justin Jefferson and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel received the distinction.
Jefferson began his bounce-back campaign with a bang, snaring eight of nine targets for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns to already tie his 2025 total in that department. His 39-yard TD featured a brilliant instance of toe-drag swag. He also caught a clutch 2-point conversion and added a 9-yard TD that iced the win and demonstrated his extreme competitiveness as he stretched for the pylon.
So, yeah, his All-Star nomination tracks, as does the one for Van Ginkel.
The long-haired Viking provided one of the loudest crowd pops when he rocked the ball free from Jordan Love in the fourth quarter as Blake Cashman wrapped up the Packers quarterback. Gink' nearly scored when he recovered it but was tackled at the 1. He had another fourth-quarter sack, too, and bookended, with Dallas Turner, a defensive front that applied constant pressure on Love.
Other Vikings, like Cash', Turner, and Carson Wentz, who came off the bench in relief of Kyler Murray, who sustained a concussion on his second series, could have vied for All-Star attention, but two for the opener shall suffice. No other team had multiple entries, for what it's worth.
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
A familiar name had one of his best performances in a while on Sunday, though. Justin Jefferson helped the Minnesota Vikings pull out a wild division win despite losing quarterback Kyler Murray early to a concussion. Carson Wentz came in and played well, with Jefferson getting 92 yards and two touchdowns as he had eight catches on nine targets.
The Minnesota Vikings were only up three with five minutes to go when Van Ginkel not only sacked Jordan Love but forced a fumble and returned it to the 1, the biggest play in Minnesota's 29-point burst to end a big division win.
LIVE WELL ~ LOVE MUCH ~ LAUGH OFTEN
Anybody else think Van Ginkel caught some flak for not scoring? His hesitation / celebration cost him a TD.
badgervike wrote:
Anybody else think Van Ginkel caught some flak for not scoring? His hesitation / celebration cost him a TD.
He thought he was touched down. Once he got up, he realized the whistle hadn't blown. Love his comment on it, he paid the price having a 300 #s land on him
greediron wrote:
And Turner should have gotten the nod over Gink, Turner had 10 pressures, 2 sacks (?) and a forced fumble.
How bout a nod for each?
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
How bout a nod for each?
That works.
And who else thought the Love should have been penalized for throwing the ball to his lineman on that one Turner sack? Would have negated his strip sack, but it looks like Love tossed the ball to #50 there.
“We’re always trying to get the ball. All of us on defense, just trying to create turnovers and create chaos as much as possible.” - Dallas Turner on the Vikings’ defense (H/t: @DaneMizutani)
— SleeperVikings @SleeperVikings Sep 16, 2026
“We’re always trying to get the ball. All of us on defense, just trying to create turnovers and create chaos as much as possible.” - Dallas Turner on the Vikings’ defense (H/t: @DaneMizutani)
greediron wrote:
That works.
And who else thought the Love should have been penalized for throwing the ball to his lineman on that one Turner sack? Would have negated his strip sack, but it looks like Love tossed the ball to #50 there.
https://twitter.com/SleeperVikings/status/2100189695166537998
I'd guess they would consider it a lateral or pitch or whatever, which would be legal. I don't think the ball went forward, did it?
medaille wrote:
I'd guess they would consider it a lateral or pitch or whatever, which would be legal. I don't think the ball went forward, did it?
after rewatching it, you are right, #50 received the ball behind him.
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