This off-season goes as a sweet dream for the Vikings running back Alexander Mattison as four years later since he started his journey with the team, the running back recently was able to land his dream job as the RB 1.
As the Minnesota team parted ways with their six-year veteran running back Dalvin Cook, the news came as the most favored one for Mattison, however before taking the role the running back experienced some harsh criticism regarding his new role on social media.
Possibility of Alexander Mattison maximizing the new role
Throughout his six seasons with the Vikings, Cook established his dominance on the field coming off his fourth consecutive season with more than 1,000 rushing yards. They signed him with a five-year deal in 2020, yet decided to release him on June 1.
In contrast, the Vikings signed Alexander to a two-year, $7 million contract in March hinting at the running back as the team’s new captain of the running back unit. The 24-year-old also looks very excited about his new job and vowed to serve his best to improve the unit.
@FouhyStan his new role will be the same as his old role playing golf in January
— Mike Polly (@metman84) June 26, 2023
“It definitely changes things,” Mattison said.
“I like to go into every season preparing like I’m the back. That’s kind of where my mindset has always been. That’s kind of where we, as a running back group, held ourselves to that standard of. I’m thankful for that. I’m thankful for having Dalvin in that running back room and challenging me to challenge him every single day, so that kind of helped me out within my preparation.”
The new RB 1 learned during the reign of Cook sitting behind him while making him prepared for the role. He in addition thought he is physically and mentally fit to take over and execute the role properly,
“Yeah, with that understanding of knowing kind of where my role is going to be and maximize it. I’ve been a lot more prepared in the way of understanding where I’m going to be at in the playbook, where I’m going to have to be physically, my stamina.”
“It’s just a whole bunch that I have to now take into account but without applying too much pressure, of course, because this is a game of ball that we have grown to love and grown to adapt to at all different levels,” he added.
“I’m definitely comfortable as a professional athlete and understand what I have to do to get the job done. Now just cranking that thing up and getting ready for this opportunity that I have in front of me,” he continued.
Not as scary without Cook
— 49er_Stonehouse (@stonehouse_the) June 26, 2023
Nevertheless, regarding his promise to his new role, some of the Vikings fans slammed the running back as they are accustomed to seeing the dominance of Dalvin in the squad they are not probably taking him as superior as their previous RB 1.
One of them retorted “his new role will be the same as his old role playing golf in January”.
Cook’s tenure with the Vikings ended with being ranked as No. 3 on the franchise’s all-time list with 5,993 yards rushing while his 47 rushing touchdowns are among the top five in the team’s history. Hence, some fans retorted that Alexander can not be as prominent as like Dalvin for the Vikings.
“Not as scary without Cook,” another netizen commented.
Alexander Mattison NFL career overview
Mattison started his NFL chapter in 2019 after being picked by the Minnesota Vikings in the 3rd round with the 102nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. As a rookie player, he averaged 4.6 yards while recording more than 100 touches in each of his first three years and has 14 total touchdowns in 59 career games.
During his four seasons journey with the team, the running back marked 404 carries for 1,670 yards, 70 catches for 526 yards, and scored 14 touchdowns. He saw his most productivity in 2021 due to the injury of Cook having 134 carries for 491 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns in 16 games.
Alexander has played the role of backup running back throughout his time with the team rather successfully, now the move has come for the player to showcase his expertise as the No. 1 running back and prove his promising outlook.
