EAGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook will miss Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions because of the death of his father, according to a league source.
Cook returned to his home in Miami on Tuesday to be with his siblings and will miss the Vikings’ daily COVID-19 tests, making him unavailable for Sunday’s season finale, according to the source.
Cook’s father, James, was 46 years old.
Cook leads the NFL in total yards from scrimmage (1,918) and scrimmage yards per game (137) and scored 17 touchdowns this season. He is second in the league in rushing yards with 1,557, behind Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry (1,777).
Cook joined Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith as the only players in Vikings history to rush for 1,500 yards in a single season.
During his weekly Wednesday press conference, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer declined to say whether he’s made a decision to rest other starters in Week 17 after the Vikings were eliminated from postseason contention in a Christmas Day loss to the New Orleans Saints.