CREDIT: Stephen Maturen/GettyImages

Chantel Rodriguez

Staff writer

Cvr5570@psu.edu

Dalvin Cook, a running back for the Minnesota Vikings, has been accused in a lawsuit filed against him by an ex-girlfriend alleging an abusive relationship that resulted in an altercation at Cook’s home and caused a concussion and bruising to her.

According to the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Cook, 26, was accused by 29-year-old ex-girlfriend Gracelyn Trimble, active duty in the U.S. Army as a sergeant, of assault, battery, and false imprisonment.

Cook has maintained his innocence during a five-minute conference to address the public of the allegations made against him. “I just want everybody to know I’m the victim in this situation and the truth and the details about the situation will come out at a further time,” Cook said.

When asked further questions, he deferred all questions to his attorney David Valentini and his agent Zac Hiller. Reporters questioned if he planned to counter sue Trimble, and he replied “no.” Cook added, “As I said, I don’t want to go into further details about it; I know that the facts of the situation will come out and clear everything up that y’all are trying to get answers to.” 

Cook also alleges that he was assaulted and that things are not what they seem as Trimble’s allegations against him. In a statement Tuesday, David Valentini, Cook’s attorney, said that Trimble assaulted his client after breaking into his residence and later trying to extort millions of dollars from him as she held him and his guests as hostages. 

Trimble’s lawsuit details that she traveled to Minnesota in November 2020 to put an end to her relationship with Cook and take her belongings off his property, having used a garage door opener in her possession to enter the running back’s Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota residence. Trimble stands by her words accusing Cook of leaving her with “a concussion, leaving a scar on my face and taking me through hell.” According to the suit, Trimble alleges that after she used mace on Cook, grabbed his gun, and called a friend for help, which led the running back to strike her with a broomstick.

Neither Cook nor Trimble filed lawsuits or called the police at the time of the incident.  

Mike Zimmer, the Vikings coach, said he was unaware of all the details entailed in Cook’s lawsuit and had not heard any news regarding the running back’s availability for Week 10. 

“Honestly, I don’t know that much about the situation,” Zimmer expressed. “What I was told is the NFL said this is a civil matter, and it is what it is. So, I don’t know that much about it, honestly.”

The NFL spokesperson stated to ESPN that the league would examine Cook’s situation under the personal conduct policy. Due to the lawsuit being a civil charge, Cook will not end up on the commissioner’s exempt list, which will still allow him to play in games, but it will be up to Mike Zimmer to see if he has Cook sit this one out to allow no distractions for their Sunday night game. 

Cook expressed his disdain for being all over social media with such allegations and how he doesn’t want to disappoint his team members and family. “I hate being a distraction to the team, but I know those guys got my back 1,000%. Just going to take this thing day by day, and I know my team’s here for me, and I’m there for them day by day.”