Where does Dalvin Cook rank among all-time Vikings running backs?
With Dalvin Cook's Vikings career reportedly coming to an end Friday, it leaves the question of where he ranks among Vikings running backs. Everyone knows the Vikings' incredible history of great receivers, but the franchise has a pretty good history at the running back position, too.
Placing Cook in the pantheon of Vikings running backs is a seemingly tricky question of where you place him. So here's how we think the Mount Rushmore, if you will, of Vikings running backs stacks up.
1. Adrian Peterson
This one isn't even a question...
Peterson is the franchise leader in rushing yards by nearly double, the franchise leader in rushing touchdowns by 45 and the franchise leader in yards per game by 13 yards.
In 2012, Peterson rushed for over 2,000 yards, becoming only the seventh player ever do it. He won the league MVP, the first non-QB to win the award since 2006, and the last non-QB to win the award.
No doubt, Adrian is the best running back in team history.
2. Chuck Foreman
Chuck Foreman lands at No. 2 despite being fourth on the rushing yards list in franchise history.
His 52 rushing touchdowns is second in club history, tied with Bill Brown, and his yards per game is behind Cook and Robert Smith.
Where Foreman set himself apart from Cook and Smith is his receiving ability. In 1975, Foreman led the entire league in receptions and averaged 48 catches per season in his seven years in Minnesota.
Foreman was also twice top-five in MVP voting while winning Rookie of the Year in 1973.
3. Robert Smith
Cook and Robert Smith have such similar on-field careers that's it's hard to separate them, but Smith being a member of all-time offenses gives him the nod over Cook. Debatable for sure...
Smith has the second most rushing yards in Vikings history with 6,818 and the third most yards per game, but he's sixth in franchise history in rushing touchdowns.
While Smith was the lead back for some of the best offenses in franchise history, he wasn't scoring a lot of touchdowns (he only had two in 1999) because Randy Moss, Cris Carter and Jake Reed were taking them all in those years.
Offenses during Smith's final four years in Minnesota:
- 1997 - 11th Points | 8th Yards
- 1998 - 1st Points | 2nd Yards
- 1999 - 5th Points | 3rd Yards
- 2000 - 5th Points | 5th Yards
4. Dalvin Cook
Offenses in Cook's final four years:
- 2019 - 8th Points | 16th Yards
- 2020 - 11th Points | 4th Yards
- 2021 - 14th Points | 12th Yards
- 2022 - 8th Points | 7th Yards
While Smith was a member of some of the best offenses, Cook was on teams that arguably could have been better if they relied on their elite receivers (Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Stefon Diggs) more during his time as the lead back.
Both Smith and Cook had exactly four seasons with 1,000+ yards and at least one season of 1,500+ yards.
While Cook scored more touchdowns (47 to Smith's 32), it's Smith's role on elite offenses that gives him the edge over Cook in this ranking.
