World News – USA – AP Sources: Star Vikings RB Cook absent after father’s death

MINNEAPOLIS: Dalvin Cook is not practicing with the Minnesota Vikings this week because of his father’s death.

Two people aware of the situation, who spoke on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal a reason for their absence, confirmed that Cook went home to Miami after the unexpected death to stay with his family be. Cook has a younger brother, James Cook, who runs back for Georgia.

The Vikings play in Detroit on Sunday. Both teams were eliminated from the competition for the playoffs. So the best season in Cook’s four-year career is almost over. He was selected for a second consecutive Pro Bowl, with 1. 557 rushing yards, 361 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 14 games.

Even if there was a postseason impact, Cook would not have enough time to clear the COVID-19 logs to be allowed to gamble. The NFL has a six-day testing window for newly arriving players, a waiting period that applies to any interruption in the daily testing process.

Viking trainer Mike Zimmer did not mention Cook’s absence during his videoconference with reporters. Quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​and broad recipient Justin Jefferson expressed condolences to Cook, who was selected by the Pro Football Writers Association’s Minnesota Chapter vote as the 2020 recipient of the Korey Stringer Good Guy Award for Media Collaboration and Professionalism.

Cooks’ absence will bring Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, who is 220 yards ahead of Cook, a second straight title. The next best players in the league standings are more than 700 yards behind Henry and are entering the final week. Henry will be the first repeat winner since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 and 2007.

Cook has a narrow lead on Henry at the top of the NFL with a total of 1. 918 yards. He finished second in team history on the single season list, behind Adrian Petersons overall 2. 314 yards in 2012 when he won the league’s MVP award. Peterson, with 18 points in 2009, is the only Viking player to ever have more quick touchdowns in a season.

The Vikings put Kyle Rudolph (foot) on the injured reserve and ended the 10 year veterans season. He will miss his fourth game in a row. Linebacker Eric Kendricks (Kalb) has missed four games in a row and is unlikely to risk further injuries on Sunday. Besides them and Cook, there was no evidence of any other notable absenteeism against the Lions. When asked if he intended to have starters on Sunday, Zimmer said no.

Minnesota Vikings, Running Back, Dalvin Cook, Georgia Bulldogs Soccer, Peach Bowl, Bowl Game, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams, American Football