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Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook did not avoid the podium for his weekly Wednesday press conference despite allegations of assault in civil court surfaced Tuesday, November 9, 2021.
The Star Tribune obtained a Dakota County District Court lawsuit that accuses Cook of “assault, battery and false imprisonment” of ex-girlfriend Gracelyn Trimble, 29, including “causing a concussion and holding her hostage at his Inver Grove Heights home” in November 2020.
Cook, who is expected to play against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10, entertained questions from local media and was adamant in his defense.
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Cook: ‘I Am the Victim in This Situation’
With the lawsuit pending, Cook deflected most questions asked but opened his press conference with a statement.
“I know there’s a lot of questions about the reports and the things that came out yesterday,” Cook said during his November 10 press conference. “I just want everybody to know I am the victim in this situation and the truth and the details about the situation will come out at a further time.”
Before the Star Tribune published details on the pending lawsuit, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter tweeted Tuesday night Cook’s side of the story, provided to him by Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller.
“Minnesota Vikings’ RB Dalvin Cook is the victim of domestic abuse and extortion — there’s a pending litigation, according to his agent Zach Hiller,” Schefter Schefter tweeted. “An incident occurred over one year ago, when a female US Military Sergeant used a stolen garage door opener to enter Cook’s home and attack a guest of Cook’s and Cook, per Hiller. Military Sergeant maced Cook directly in his eyes immediately upon illegally entering.”
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When asked if Cook could elaborate more on the allegations, the 26-year-old running back deferred any further comments to his agent.
“I would love to go into detail about the situation,” Cook said. “But I think that won’t be a good idea to sit and talk about a situation that’s being handled on a different side.”
Cook Defends His Reputation
Amid a litany of distractions in the Vikings locker room between the recent COVID-19 outbreak, coach Mike Zimmer’s job security and the future of the team that has struggled this season, Cook attested that he’s keeping his personal situation out of the locker room.
“You know me. I’m a pretty private person. Just seeing my business on the social web is not ideal for me. I try to walk that straight line, but bumps and bruises come through, life and it’s how you handle it,” Cook told reporters on November 10.
Cook, widely considered a first-round talent in the 2017 draft, slipped to the second round due to at least one past incident while attending Florida State from 2014 to 2016. According to the Star Tribune, Cook was charged with misdemeanor battery in 2015 after he was accused of “punching a woman outside a bar” before a jury acquitted him in August that year.
Cook has since been a model NFL player in the public eye. He was named a Vikings team captain in 2020, the year Minnesota made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid players at his position by agreeing to a five-year, $63 million contract. His $12.6 million average annual value is topped by only three other runners: Christian McCaffrey ($16 million), Ezekiel Elliott ($15 million) and Alvin Kamara ($15 million), per Spotrac.
“I’ve been through a lot of tough things in my life and I have my head up, high knowing the truth will come out,” Cook said. “I hate being a distraction to the team, but I know those guys have my back 1000%, and we’re just going to take this thing day-by-day. I know my team is here for me, and I’m here for them.”
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