Inside The Vikings

No Hard Feelings: Vikings, Dalvin Cook Show Love to Each Other

Kevin O'Connell expressed how much Cook meant to him during his first year as a head coach.
Will Ragatz|
No Hard Feelings: Vikings, Dalvin Cook Show Love to Each Other
No Hard Feelings: Vikings, Dalvin Cook Show Love to Each Other

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings released Dalvin Cook last week, ending the Pro Bowl running back's tenure in Minnesota after six seasons. Like they did with Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, the team released statements from owners Mark and Zygi Wilf, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and head coach Kevin O'Connell expressing how much Cook meant to them during his Vikings tenure.

On Tuesday, before taking questions at his post-practice press conference, O'Connell made sure to once again bring up his appreciation for Cook and what he meant to him during his first year as an NFL head coach.

"I did want to touch on Dalvin Cook and just my appreciation for Dalvin," O'Connell said. "Not only what he meant to me in Year 1 as the head coach of this team, but what he’ll mean to me forever in my coaching journey. His leadership, his work ethic, what he meant to our football team in 2022, but much, much farther back than that with his impact on our organization. 

"(He) will forever go down as one of the great running backs in Vikings history. Just have all the respect for Dalvin, his family, and I know there’s great things out in front of him. I’m a fan of his forever, and as I told him the other day, I really hope he finds a great situation that he can continue to thrive in, and there’ll be some really exciting moments out of in front of him."

Cook, who wished goodbye to Minnesota on his Instagram story last week, doesn't have any hard feelings over the way things played out. Dating back to the end of last season, the Vikings were transparent with all of their players over what their futures might hold, so Cook undoubtedly knew this was a possibility.

Speaking to Tom Pelissero on Tuesday, Cook shared some thoughts on this transition in his career.

"I got a lot of love for Minnesota," he said. "They brought a kid in that didn't know what to expect and they embraced me. But I'm looking forward to this next step in my life. It's going to be fun. Whoever gets Dalvin Cook, they know what they're getting."

Cook said he'll be patient in waiting for the right fit during his free agency process.

"The money's gon' come," he said. "You play good so they pay you, that's what comes with it. I just want to go somewhere and feel like it's home for me. Go somewhere and help somebody win and just be me, go turn it loose."

More Vikings headlines:

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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