Vikings Dalvin Cook Returns Home to Miami

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Sep 25, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

This Sunday, Minnesota Vikings running back, Dalvin Cook, will return home to Miami, Florida, to play for the first time as a pro. The stadium is far more familiar to Cook than away stadiums usually are to opposing teams. He grew up practically in the shadows of Hard Rock Stadium, which is just outside of downtown Miami. 

Miami Native

As a student at Miami Central High School, Cook played a few highly anticipated games there. He was a dominant high school athlete. As a senior, he racked up nearly 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns. He even intercepted 3 passes on defense and helped Central get to a state championship. Cook’s performance that year made him a 5-star recruit and earned him the title of “Mr. Football” for the state of Florida. 

After being one of the most recruited running backs that year, he landed at Florida State. As a Seminole, he smashed previous records in his sophomore and junior season. He accumulated over 4,000 total yards and 40 touchdowns. During that time, he played the University of Miami Hurricanes twice at Hard Rock Stadium. The Seminoles won both times. He decided to forego his senior season and enter the draft early where some off-field concerns caused him to drop to the second round when he was arguably a first-round talent.

Dalvin Cook from Miami Central at the Under Armour All-America Game in January 2014 (Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

From Miami to Minnesota

The Vikings were lucky enough to snatch him up early in the second round, 41st overall. Cook got off to a strong start, in his first game in 2017, against the New Orleans Saints he set the rookie rushing record, previously held by Adrian Peterson, with 127 yards on 22 carries. During Week 4, Cook suffered a torn ACL, and his season was cut short. 

He continued to be hampered by some injuries into his second season but has made up for it since then. In 2019 he bounced back with a phenomenal season, reminding all of Minnesota why they needed him so badly. As the 2020 season got underway Cook announced he would respectfully sit out until a reasonable extension on his contract happened.

The Vikings signed him to a 5 year $63 million extension and Cook showed he was worth every penny. 2020 was an excellent one and he finished with a career-high 1,557 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had 361 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.

Those remarkable stats came two games short of every other RB as Cook missed two games – one with a hamstring injury and one for the sudden death of his father. He has been named to the Pro Bowl for the past 3 seasons (2019-21).

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Cook on Miami

Cook says that when you grow up in a city like Miami, it never leaves you. He is going to be playing this weekend to friends and family in a city he adores. He said, “I’ve never lost to Miami and I’m going to try to keep that up, keep that lil streak goin’ in Florida.” 

Cook has been playing well through the first 5 games of the season. He is averaging 4.6 yard per carry with 81 rushing attempts for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. In addition, he has 11 receptions for 74 yards. He should match up favorably against a Dolphin defense that is ranked 13th against the run, allowing 110 rush yards per game. 

“This is what I dreamed about,” Cook said, “This is a kid’s dream, just living it, trying to take advantage of the moment. If you know me, I just like to have fun. So, I try to enjoy the moment, man, because you don’t get these back. We only play Miami every so many years, so gotta take advantage of this type of game.”

For fans, short of a win, there is not much better than the added excitement of seeing a player go “home” to an away stadium. This weekend SkolNation will get to share that excitement with Cook as he returns home to Miami.

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