Dalvin Cook wants to be the next Adrian Peterson. Not only on the field but in his rehab.
The Vikings running back talked to the team’s beat reporters Thursday for the first time since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Oct. 1.
Cook knows about Peterson’s triumphant return from a severe knee injury, rushing for 2,097 yards and winning the NFL’s MVP award in 2012 despite tearing his ACL in December 2011.
“A.P. came back incredible,” Cook said, via Chris Tomasson of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “He’s just a freak of nature. You rarely get guys like that. When you get ACL surgery, that’s the main goal: You want to come back like A.P.”
Cook, drafted to replace the departed Peterson, rushed for 354 yards and two touchdowns on 74 carries. He injured his knee on a 10-yard run in the third quarter of a Week 4 loss to the Lions.
“It was kind of like a funny feeling,” Cook said. “I kind of knew something was wrong, but it just wasn’t hurting, and I just kept telling the trainers, ‘I’m good. Ain’t nothing wrong with me.’ But the next day, it kind of stiffened up, and I knew something was wrong.”
Dr. James Andrews performed surgery on Cook’s knee Oct. 9 in Florida, and Cook said he discarded his crutches last week and resumed lifting this week.
“Truly, in my opinion, I just think I’ll just come back better than ever,” Cook said.