Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters one of the team's players went to the emergency room Tuesday night because of symptoms from COVID-19.

Zimmer explained the player, who is vaccinated, remains hospitalized but is in stable condition.

He also said 29 members of the organization are now in close-contact protocol as a result. Zimmer is one of those 29 as Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers approaches.

The NFL and its players association agreed to updated health and safety protocols for the 2021 campaign.

Those who are fully vaccinated are not designated as high-risk close contacts even though they can be tested daily for five days. That means vaccinated players cannot miss games as close contacts unless they also test positive themselves.

However, unvaccinated players could miss games even without a positive test if they are designated as high-risk close contacts.

Vaccinated players who do test positive can also return to the team and even play in games if they are asymptomatic and produce two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Unvaccinated players must isolate for 10 days and be asymptomatic before returning after a positive test.

The Vikings are off to a 3-5 start this season and are coming off two straight losses to the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens.                

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and his former girlfriend, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Gracelyn Trimble, are filing lawsuits against each other stemming from an altercation at his home in November 2020.

Cook's agent, Zac Hiller, said his client is the victim of domestic abuse and extortion and that litigation is pending regarding the allegations, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk spoke with Hiller, who detailed the allegations from Cook's end. Florio wrote the following:

Roughly a year ago, someone unlawfully entered Cook's house. The female who did it, is a sergeant in the U.S. military, attacked Cook in his home while he had a guest present. The invader then allegedly tried to extort Cook for millions of dollars, claiming that she suffered injuries during the course of the attack that she allegedly initiated.

Because she allegedly entered Cook's house illegally, he had the right to defend himself, as authorized by Minnesota's version of the Castle Doctrine. Litigation, per Hiller, has not yet been commenced, but it's in the process of being initiated. No criminal complaints have been filed in connection with the incident.

Per Schefter, Hiller said Trimble allegedly used a stolen garage door opener to enter the home before attacking Cook and a guest.

"Military sergeant maced Cook directly in his eyes immediately upon illegally entering," Hiller told Schefter.

Trimble spoke with Rochelle Olson and Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune and provided her account of what happened, saying Cook gave her a concussion, left a scar on her face and took her "through hell."

In a lawsuit filed with Dakota County District Court, Trimble says Cook physically abused her and held her hostage at his home in Inver Grove Heights south of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Per Olson and Goessling, Trimble wants unspecified monetary damages and "accountability." Trimble and her lawyer, Daniel Cragg, spoke with Cook and his attorney, David Valentini, about a potential settlement before the lawsuit was filed. The two sides did not come to an agreement, and Cook received the lawsuit Tuesday.

Valentini released a statement regarding the allegations:

Statement from #Vikings RB Dalvin Cook’s attorney, David Valentini, responding to a civil lawsuit filed today by a woman who alleges Cook assaulted her last year. pic.twitter.com/fzyVbKQZ41

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 10, 2021

Trimble's account of the events is as follows and starts with her entering Cook's home through the garage and grabbing mace she stored there, per Olson and Goessling:

Trimble claims in the filing that Cook got angry when she asked for his help in gathering her things. Cook 'grabbed her arm, and slung her whole body over the couch, slamming her face into the coffee table and causing her lower forehead and the bridge of her nose to bust open.'

She attempted to spray the mace at Cook, but he overpowered her and the mace went into her eyes, the lawsuit said. She went to shower when she was allegedly assaulted again.

Then Trimble went into the bedroom, grabbed Cook's gun and called her friend, according to the lawsuit. Cook overheard her and threatened her, and beat her with a broomstick, the suit claims.

The lawsuit includes an alleged text Cook sent to Trimble, stating: "I know what I did can't be rewind. ... If you wanna go to the police I'll respect that I'll take my punishment for what I did!"

Olson tweeted images of the reported text conversation between Cook and Trimble (warning: tweet contains images of Trimble's injuries from the alleged abuse).

The Vikings released a statement earlier Tuesday as well:

Vikings’ statement on Dalvin Cook contending that he was attacked: pic.twitter.com/4R3q94mIFI

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 10, 2021

Cook was previously charged with misdemeanor battery after he was accused of hitting a 21-year-old woman in 2015 outside a bar in Tallahassee, Florida, while he played for Florida State. He was found not guilty in the jury trial.

The 26-year-old has played all five of his NFL seasons for the Vikings, who selected him with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

Cook leads all Viking players with 106.5 scrimmage yards per game this season. He has 639 total yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys and will miss the remainder of the season.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer confirmed the news to reporters after Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network first reported that the team feared Hunter would miss the season.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Hunter was off to a stellar start to the 2021 season. He recorded 38 tackles and six sacks through seven games, putting him on pace for his fourth season of double-digit sacks.

This will be the second straight year Hunter suffered a season-ending injury. He missed the entire 2020 campaign with a herniated disk in his neck. 

Before the 2020 campaign, Hunter had been relatively healthy, missing two games in five seasons.

The Vikings owe Hunter an $18 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2022 league year. His recent bouts with injuries may impact the otherwise obvious decision to keep him on the roster. The team would save $14.6 million in cap space by cutting Hunter.

The connection between 2019 LSU teammates Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson appears to still be strong with both wide receivers starring in the NFL. 

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Jefferson said he's rooting for Chase to break his record for receiving yards by a rookie. 

"He’s been doing a great job," the Minnesota Vikings star said. "He’s killing it, especially having Joe, his college quarterback. I’m proud of him and of Joe, and I hope he does break it."

Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy for LSU in 2019, has had no problems re-establishing his chemistry with Chase after one year apart. 

Jefferson rewrote the NFL record book last season when he racked up 1,400 receiving yards in his first season. Anquan Boldin previously held the mark with 1,377 yards in 2003.

Boldin's name came up again during the Cincinnati Bengals' 41-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens win last week. Chase passed the three-time Pro Bowl wideout for most receiving yards through seven games in the victory. 

Ja’Marr Chase continues his historic start to the season:
He’s the 1st player since the NFL merger to have 50+ REC Yds in each of his first 7 career games
Has 754 REC Yds this season, the most in NFL history in a player’s first 7 career games, surpassing Anquan Boldin in 2003.

— Boomer Esiason (@7BOOMERESIASON) October 24, 2021

Chase had 201 receiving yards and one touchdown on eight catches against the Ravens. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft has made everyone forget about all those concerns during preseason about his drops. 

The Bengals rookie does have the benefit of playing 17 games as he chases the record. Jefferson set the mark in a 16-game season. 

This level of production is nothing new for Chase or Jefferson. They both had more than 1,500 receiving yards and combined for 38 touchdown catches during LSU's undefeated national title season in 2019. 

The Minnesota Vikings placed Patrick Peterson on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

Head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Monday the team doesn't expect Peterson to miss the remainder of the 2021 NFL season. The 31-year-old has 12 tackles and two pass breakups through six games with the team.

The team said he experienced "cramping" issues toward the end of Sunday's 34-28 overtime victory over the Carolina Panthers. His IR designation will force him to miss at least three games.

Zimmer remains confident in the team's secondary despite Peterson's absence for at least the next few weeks.

"I feel fine," he said. "Patrick's played really well. We'll miss him for sure but [Cameron] Dantzler's done decent and so has [Bashaud] Breeland."

Breeland intercepted a Sam Darnold pass on the first play from scrimmage against the Panthers.

First play, first pick@Bree2Land6

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/1wI1ULIIep

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 17, 2021

Dantzler has played a total of 113 defensive snaps and already has two pass breakups.

The Vikings are 12th in passing defense, allowing 230.3 yards per game. They also sit seventh in opponent passer rating (87.5).

Minnesota is tied for second in the NFC East but already trails the first-place Green Bay Packers by two games. Peterson's injury doesn't wreck his team's season but won't aid in the quest to chase down a division rival. 

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson left Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers with an apparent foot injury.

According to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune, Peterson had to be helped off the field and struggled to put weight on his right foot. Goessling later noted that Peterson got carted off.

The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter with Minnesota holding a 28-20 lead over the Panthers.

A Pro Bowler in eight of his nine NFL seasons and an All-Pro in three, Peterson was widely regarded as the Arizona Cardinals' best defensive player for most of his career before starting to decline in 2019 and last season. He signed a one-year, $10 million contract in Minnesota after finding a tepid market.

Peterson has never missed a game to injury during his NFL career and has appeared in all six games for the Vikings this season.

Entering Sunday, Peterson had recorded 28 interceptions and 93 passes defended in 159 career regular-season games.

In five games this season, Peterson had 10 tackles and two passes defended to his credit with no interceptions.

If Peterson is forced to miss some time moving forward, the Vikings will turn to either Cameron Dantzler or Mackensie Alexander to start across from Bashaud Breeland.

Fantasy managers got bad news Saturday morning, as Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski reportedly will not play in Week 4 against the New England Patriots.

The late scratch might leave some owners scrambling to find a replacement, so we found four tight ends who are rostered in less than 50 percent of fantasy leagues, according to Fantasy Pros, who would be good additions.

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Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills (27.9 percent rostered)

Dawson Knox is emerging as a favorite red-zone target of Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The third-year player has scored in each of the last two weeks, tying for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns.

Knox has shown steady hands this season, as he's made 10 catches on 12 targets through three games. He ranks fourth on the team with 107 receiving yards.

Knox and the Bills have a soft matchup this week against the Houston Texans, who are giving up 385.7 yards per game. Knox will likely build on his strong start to the season in Week 4.

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Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys (24.0 percent rostered)

Dalton Schultz is on the upswing, coming off a huge performance in Week 3 with six receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Schultz, who ranks third on the Dallas Cowboys in receptions (14), targets (15) and receiving yards (143), has separated himself on the depth chart from Blake Jarwin. Schultz played 68.4 percent of the snaps Monday, while Jarwin played 56.6 percent, per Pro Football Reference.

The Cowboys face a tough test in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers, so look for Schultz to be a safety blanket for quarterback Dak Prescott.

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Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers (48.2 percent rostered)

Jared Cook has been a solid addition to the Los Angeles Chargers passing attack. In his first year with the team, the 13-year veteran has racked up 10 catches for 111 yards through three games.

While Cook has yet to reach the end zone, he ranks third on the team with 16 targets. He's developed a chemistry with second-year quarterback Justin Herbert, who ranks fifth in the NFL with 956 passing yards.

Herbert likes to spread the ball around, as six different players had a reception in last week's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Cook will be playing a revenge game Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, whom he played for in 2017 and 2018. He will likely have ample opportunities against his former team.

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Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings (14.9 percent rostered)

Tyler Conklin has established himself as TE1 for the Minnesota Vikings after Irv Smith Jr. underwent knee surgery.

Conklin finished with seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks. Through three games, he has hauled in 13 of 16 targets for 126 yards, which ranks fourth on the team.

The Vikings face a tough matchup in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns, who rank third in the NFL in total defense (248.7 yards allowed per game). With quarterback Kirk Cousins off to a strong start, consider Conklin a streaming option going forward.

The 0-2 Minnesota Vikings had a scare Sunday when star running back Dalvin Cook went down with an ankle injury. But Vikings coach Mike Zimmer doesn't plan on sitting his most potent offensive weapon in Sunday's crucial game against the Seattle Seahawks.

"It's time to get some wins," Zimmer said Wednesday, per ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "Dalvin's a tough guy. If he can't play, there's a reason why he's not playing. But he makes us go, so we're going to continue to play him."

Cook went down in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals on a tackle by J.J. Watt. Zimmer called the injury a "little sprain." Cook wore a bandage on his right ankle during Wednesday's media availability, per Cronin.

"I know I play running back; I'm going to get banged up," Cook said. "But the recovery is key. I'm in the training room a lot with the conditioning coach, just getting to it, trying to get my body back up."

Cook also gave his team a scare earlier in the game when he suffered a stinger. He layed face down on the field for a while and said it was because it was the first time he's felt that sensation in his career.

"I was laying like that because it was different for me because I didn't know whether I should get up; I don't know where it was coming from," Cook said, per Cronin. "It was just something different for me that I never felt, so I was just taking precautions."

Cook finished with 131 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Cook ranks fourth in the NFL with 192 rushing yards. Like Zimmer, he believes it's time for the Vikings to get a win.

"I think mentally we're in a good space," Cook said. "We know the team that we can be. We know the team that we aiming to be. We just got to go get it done and finish the deal that we didn't these last, past two weeks."     

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen will miss Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals after suffering a concussion in a car accident.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Griffen swerved while trying to avoid hitting a deer on the road. 

No further information was given on the crash. It's unclear if Griffen suffered any other injuries.

The veteran defensive end returned to the Vikings in August for his second stint with the club. He previously played in Minnesota from 2010 to 2019 before opting out of his contract. The four-time Pro Bowler split last season with the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.

Griffen signed with Minnesota in August but was cut. He re-signed with the Vikings a week later and was on the field for 28 snaps in Week 1 while not recording any defensive stats. 

The Minnesota Vikings announced Saturday that Hall of Fame center Mick Tingelhoff has died. He was 81.

Our hearts are heavy as we announce the passing of #Vikings Legend Mick Tingelhoff.

Undrafted in 1962, he helped set the franchise standard for toughness as he started 240 consecutive games throughout his @ProFootballHOF career. pic.twitter.com/ZYwcAkCsqp

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 11, 2021

Tingelhoff was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015, and his former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, quarterback Fran Tarkenton, gave his speech. 

"Mick's a man of little words, but a lot of action," an emotional Tarkenton said at the time, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. "He's so proud to be in this class of 2015. He waited 37 years to get to the Hall of Fame."

RIP to one of the great pros of all time, Hall of Fame center Mick Tingelhoff.

— Peter King (@peter_king) September 11, 2021

After going undrafted out of Nebraska in 1962, he would go on to play every game in his career for the Vikings until retiring in 1978, a remarkable run of resilience. Only Brett Favre (297) and Tingelhoff's teammate Jim Marshall (270) started more games than Tingelhoff's 240 in NFL history.

What TE Stu Voigt once said on Mick's durability: "We had a player Godfrey Zaunbrecher who used to say he was the 3rd-string center on the Vikings The joke was the Vikings only carried two centers. So Godfrey would say ‘I’m the 3rd-string C behind Tingelhoff & Tingelhoff hurt.’’’

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) September 11, 2021

"When we came to the Vikings, Mick was the pillar of what we built our team around, he and Jim Marshall. Mick led by example," Hall of Fame head coach Bud Grant once said of Tingelhoff. "His toughness and his durability and intelligence, he was a great football player and one of the greatest Vikings of all time. I loved Mick Tingelhoff."

Tingelhoff was an NFL champion (1969), helped lead the Vikings to four Super Bowl appearances, was a six-time Pro Bowler and a five-time first-team All-Pro selection. 

"Mick Tingelhoff was the anchor of the great Vikings teams during an amazing era that included four Super Bowls," the Wilf family said in a statement. "A humble but strong leader, he defined toughness. Mick's legacy will live on as a Hall of Famer, on the field and off the field. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."

The Vikings retired his number in 2001.

"I came to the Vikings a year before Mick, but we left at the same time. He was my guy," Tarkenton said Saturday after learning of Tingelhoff's death. "He played 17 years, never missed a game, never missed a practice. Mick was my best friend by far."