Dalvin Cook's free agency journey could be complicated by a court filing alleging his lawyers offered $1 million to the woman who claims he abused her.
When it comes to football, Dalvin Cook looks like perfect addition to every running back-needy team in the league. But football isn't the only factor when it comes to hiring someone to play football for you. That's precisely why Cook may have a problem.
The running back, who was cut by the Vikings earlier this year, is embroiled in a legal battle with his ex-girlfriend who alleges he abused her. In 2021, she filed a civil lawsuit against him. He responded with a defamation suit against her and avoided punishment by the NFL, who promised to monitor the situation.
Now, a court filing, which was obtained by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune before it was sealed, alleges that Cook's lawyers offered the woman $1 million to sign a letter to the NFL "relieving Mr. Cook of a wrongdoing."
Here's more from the Star-Tribune:
In a deposition, Cook said he was aware his lawyers had initially offered [Gracelyn] Trimble $800,000 in May to provide a sworn affidavit exonerating him of wrongdoing, the filing said.
After Trimble's lawyer told Cook's counsel that she wouldn't sign a "fraudulent affidavit," his lawyers increased the offer a few hours later to $1 million. That higher offer required Trimble to sign a letter to the NFL "relieving Mr. Cook of a wrongdoing" in language to be negotiated. Trimble rejected the second offer as well.
Cook's lawyers are trying to keep the settlement offers out of the upcoming trial. The woman's lawyers are trying to get them in. That's the legal battle, which is best left to the lawyers.
There's a different battle for Cook besides the one waged by lawyers.
NFL Rumors: Dalvin Cook suitors may be worried by potential suspension
Mike Florio of Pro Football talk wrote that "there has been chatter in league circles regarding hesitation arising from the possibility of a suspension" for Cook.
The public pressure that may arise from this disclosure in public isn't going to do him any favors. Nor will descriptions of the alleged abuse detailed by the Star-Tribune:
[Attorney Daniel] Cragg's latest filing also describes Trimble's sworn allegations against Cook, saying that after he threw her over a couch and into a coffee table, her forehead and nose gushed blood. When she went upstairs to wash off the blood, Cook followed her, threw her down, pinned her, punched and choked her then grabbed his rifle, pointed it at her head and yelled death threats, the filing said.
At one point, he grabbed a broomstick and beat her before throwing her against a wall. When she fell to the ground, Cook continued to kick her in the hips and ribs before she got up and ran down the driveway in search of help, but he led her back to the house and took her phone, the filing said.
Any team looking to sign Cook will have to weigh the allegations against him as well as the possibility of the NFL considering a suspension.
