Although Dalvin Cook’s eligibility was considered questionable, the running back ran for a new franchise record in the Minnesota Vikings’ triumph over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14.

Munich/Minnesota – Just eleven days had passed since his shoulder injury. No one would have expected Dalvin Cook to even return to the field so soon. But even more surprising was the form the Minnesota Vikings running back showed in the 36-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cook was the man of the match with 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns. In the first half alone, the 26-year-old rushed for 153 yards and set a new franchise record.

“He’s a warrior,” praised Head Coach Mike Zimmer. Until shortly before the start of the game, his fitness for action was still considered questionable. But Cook pushed for his use, as Zimmer tells: “He said he wanted to play. That shows what kind of guy he is. There was no doubt in his mind at all that he would play. He’s a great leader and a great fighter. “

Medical department was “sceptical “

Eric Sugarman, the Vikings’ vice president of sports medicine and head athletic, had an uneasy feeling about the early comeback. On the very day of the game, he texted Cook asking, “Hey, are you really sure you’re OK to play?”

He gave the answer on the field. If you add in his catch, he actually totalled 222 yards of space.

“They were a little skeptical,” Cook said of the medical department’s reaction to his comeback. “But they trusted and believed me that if I couldn’t be productive for the team, I wouldn’t put myself in harm’s way. I commend the coaches for believing in me.”

Cook was by no means spared. On the contrary, he was on the field for 29 of 36 snaps in the first half alone. Yet his left shoulder was far from completely healed. It was supported by the same splint he had already worn when he was injured in 2019.

Record beaten by Adrian Peterson

Despite that, the Steelers found no means to stop the effective runner. He broke the previous franchise record of Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 144 yards in the first half against the Seattle Seahawks in 2012.

Cook is honoured: “AP is a legend in my eyes and in the eyes of many people. I consider him one of the greats.”

The last NFL player to run for as many yards in the first half of a game as Cook did against the Steelers was Ronald Jones of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season with 170 yards.

Kirk Cousins, the Vikings’ quarterback, praises the running back’s resilience: “He’s always taken a good beating in all the years I’ve played with him. But he always came back and fought through it. He’s a really tough football player.”

Cook passed the praise on to his teammates, “The holes were very big. They did a great job blocking for me, the offensive line, the receivers, the tight ends, just everybody. “

Only Jonathan Taylor is more effective

The two-time Pro Bowl player, who was selected in the 2nd round in the 2017 NFL Draft, is tied with Joe Mixon (Cincinnati Benals) as the NFL’s second-best runner with 978 rushing yards currently.

Only Jonathan Taylor (1348 yards, Indianapolis Colts) is ahead of him. It’s possible Cook would be a match for him, too, had he not missed three games during the course of this season.

However, it is more important to Cook that Minnesota finishes the season strong and keeps their playoff hopes alive: “I just want to win, and I know this team has the same desire as I do.