Vikings RB Dalvin Cook gets disrespected by the national media
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings running back didn’t receive a single All-Pro vote this year.
Following the conclusion of the 2020 regular season, there is now a legitimate argument that can be made for Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook to be considered the best at his position in the NFL.
People can still believe that Cook isn’t the best current running back in the league, but there’s no denying the fact that he should at least be in the conversation.
In 2020, Cook set new career-highs for rushing yards (1,557), touchdowns (17), and total yards (1,918). He finished second in the NFL in rushing yards behind Derrick Henry and thanks to the Vikings’ terrible defense in Week 16, Alvin Kamara was the only running back to have more touchdowns in 2020 than Cook.
No love for the Minnesota running back in this season’s All-Pro voting
On Friday, the Associated Press released their choices for their annual NFL All-Pro teams which are voted on by 50 national media members.
When the First Team and Second Team were revealed, Cook was nowhere to be found. In fact, the Vikings running back didn’t even earn a single vote from anyone. Henry and Kamara were the only two rushers to receive All-Pro votes from the Associated Press this season.
As disappointing as it was to find out that Cook didn’t end up on either team, Minnesota rookie receiver Justin Jefferson did earn enough votes to land on this year’s All-Pro Second Team. Jefferson had a record-breaking performance during the 2020 season and he was one of eight receivers to earn at least one All-Pro vote this year.
Eric Kendricks was the only other Vikings player to earn some All-Pro votes for this season, but he didn’t earn enough to make the Second Team.
Two former Minnesota players were selected as First-Team All-Pros this year. Stefon Diggs earned his first-career All-Pro nod and Cordarrelle Patterson landed a First-Team All-Pro selection for the fourth time since entering the NFL in 2013.
Cook should have plenty of motivation this offseason as he prepares for the 2021 campaign since none of the All-Pro voters felt the Vikings running back was worthy of landing on either team. It seems like Cook has been proving doubters wrong ever since he entered the league in 2017 and unfortunately, he’ll have to continue doing this again next season.