Dalvin Cook Has Surgery on Broken Shoulder Suffered in 2019

Dalvin Cook has been considered “injury-riddled” since the beginning of his NFL career. But since a torn ACL sidelined him for all but four games of his rookie season (2017), he’s been rather durable, for a running back.

Durable Dalvin Cook?

He played in 11 games, after coming back from injury in 2018. Since then, he’s played 13 games or more and rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last four seasons. In 2022-23, he was more durable than ever and started all 17 games for the purple.

What’s most impressing, though? For three of those four seasons of 1,000 yards and 13+ games played, according to his agency, LAA (per Adam Schefter), Cook has been performing his football duties with a broken shoulder that he had surgery to repair on Tuesday.

Vikings’ Pro-Bowl RB Dalvin Cook, who is second in the NFL in total yards since 2019, underwent surgery today to fix the broken shoulder he suffered in that same year, 2019. “Dalvin has been absolutely dominant and we cannot wait until September,” said his agency @LAASportsEnt.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 14, 2023

Past Shoulder Problems

We knew Dalvin Cook’s shoulder has given him problems for much of his football career, all the way back to his freshman year of college. Most recently, it became a problem last season, after he was driven into the ground on a tackle vs the Detroit Lions. It was diagnosed a dislocated shoulder and he returned 10 days later wearing a familiar shoulder harness, something he’s had to wear intermittently since 2019.

Previously, Cook’s shoulder injuries have been reported as dislocations and torn labrums. But if you take Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, at his word, then he’s had bigger problems going on this entire time. I don’t know who Dalvin Cook plays for next season but he’ll bring a grittiness and will to play for whatever team is lucky enough to roster him.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan