Former Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison’s first touch of the 2025 preseason went for a touchdown, further validating recent reports of his strong offseason since signing with the Miami Dolphins in March.
Just one day later, fans pulling for the former Vikings third-round pick were reminded of the harsh reality of the NFL.
Mattison suffered a scary injury during the fourth quarter of Miami's Sunday’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears. After catching a short pass from Dolphins rookie quarterback Quin Ewers, Mattison took off for a 21-yard gain before landing awkwardly on his head and neck area following a tackle by Bears safety Alex Cook.
Mattison was taken off the field by ambulance, and ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed on Monday that he will miss the 2025 season after undergoing surgery.
The good news? Mattison is expected to make a full recovery, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, and has "full strength and motion" in his extremities. The bad? One of the offseason’s more intriguing success stories, at least for fans in Minnesota, is suddenly over before it started.
Former Minnesota Vikings RB Alexander Mattison was standing out for the Miami Dolphins this summer
The Dolphins have been building their running back room through the draft in recent seasons, adding current starter De’Von Achane in 2023, former Tennessee star Jaylen Wright in 2024, and sixth-rounder Ollie Gordon II out of Oklahoma State this year. With Raheem Mostert now with the Las Vegas Raiders, Mattison was the elder statesman in camp as a six-year veteran.
In Minnesota, Mattison was used more as a sidekick to Dalvin Cook until the 2023 season, when he was given a shot to be the Vikings’ starter. But Minnesota barely rushed for 1,500 total yards as a team that year, prompting the team to move on in 2024 and sign former Green Bay Packers star Aaron Jones in free agency.
Mattison signed with the Raiders last year and posted career highs in targets (48), receptions (36), and receiving yards (294). He averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry, though, and arrived in Miami this offseason with little fanfare.
That he was picking up steam with Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins this summer was, again, one of the more pleasant camp surprises across the NFL.
You just hate to see 2025 end like this for Mattison, especially after what was looking like a fine preseason debut in Miami. This is just one of those worst-case scenarios that fans of Miami, Minnesota, and beyond never want to see.