Vikings’ Dalvin Cook suffers torn labrum in Week 12 loss to 49ers, out

The Minnesota Vikings will be without star running back Dalvin Cook for a while, but the team hopes he’ll return sooner than later. Cook was injured late in the third quarter of the Vikings’ 34-26 Week 12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and subsequently ruled out with what was described as a shoulder injury. Scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, the results are now in, and it’s been determined Cook suffered a torn labrum — per CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora.

Initial reports were that Cook suffered a dislocation, but the torn labrum isn’t something he and the Vikings are unfamiliar with, considering the veteran RB missed the last two games of the 2019 season with a similar ailment. It has not been determined if the Vikings will place him on injured reserve, which would sideline him at least three games, or if they’ll simply let his rest and rehab during a stretch that’ll see the team play the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers in a four-day span, with the hopes of potentially having him available on Dec. 20 against the Chicago Bears.

It was an emotional scene on Sunday when Cook was carted to the locker room, but it appears the Vikings dodged a worst-case scenario.

On a first-down carry with his team trailing 31-26, Cook was tackled in the backfield and stripped of the ball. On his way down, Cook reached for the upper-left side of his chest, seemingly already knowing he was injured. After the fumble recovery, Cook remained down on the field for several minutes as he was attended to by trainers. Players and coaches from both teams surrounded Cook as he was helped to his feet and placed on a cart. 

He was eventually taken off the field with tears in his eyes.

Cook missed two games due to injury earlier this season with an ankle injury, and was replaced in the lineup by Alexander Mattison in those contests. Mattison would likely fill in for Cook again. In his two starts, Mattison carried 51 times for 225 yards, adding 13 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.