On the eve of what is arguably his most important NFL season, during which he will be asked to give more of himself than in any of his previous four years as a pro, Vikings running back Alexander Mattison is already in full-on giving mode.
Vikings running back Alexander Mattison has a lot to give in 2023
Mattison is primed for a bigger role in the offense after the release of Dalvin Cook. He's been spending a sizable part of his offseason preparing, but also running important camps in three different locations.
July 5, 2023 at 5:20PM
In-between voluntary and mandatory team obligations, during which he has assumed the role of lead back after the release of veteran Dalvin Cook, Mattison has been leading youth football camps in the three places that he has called home.
He and his team of supporters already concluded three-day overnight camps in Minnesota and San Bernardino, Calif., Mattison's hometown. Still to come is a one-day camp in Boise, where Mattison starred in college at Boise State.
Speaking just before the start of the camp in San Bernardino last weekend — an interview that aired on Wednesday's Daily Delivery podcast — Mattison described how the camps are about more than just football. They teach young players important life skills while also addressing mental health and social justice issues, among other things.
"There are all these components of my life that never pointed at the gridiron or the field. They pointed at being successful in life," said Mattison, who credits former NFL running back Greg Bell as a mentor who along with his parents helped instill both a work ethic and notion of well-roundedness in his life. "The bigger picture wasn't just to make it to the NFL, but beyond that. The goals were setting myself up for success and an attainable life beyond what the field can provide."
Giving back seems to come naturally to Mattison — not as a burden for a 25-year-old running back who just signed a two-year, $7 million deal this offseason and who figures to have two or three times more carries this season than the 101 rushes he averaged over his first four years.
Mattison said he understands the business of the NFL and expects Cook to continue to thrive. But he also understands that in a league that undervalues and discards running backs quickly, it is Mattison's time to shine.
"For me, it's a great opportunity to step into the role, the limelight and the position I've always dreamt of being in. All the work I've put in to this point, all the work following in [Cook's] footsteps, side by side, challenging each other every day, prepared me for a moment like this where I can have the opportunity to seize what's in front of me."
Here are four more things to know today:
*A few readers responded to Monday's post on the Twins and their TV future with an admonition that the team shouldn't lean too heavily on pleasing cord-cutters.
To be clear, I agree: Whether the Twins ultimately stay with Bally Sports North on a new contract in 2024 and beyond or forge a new path with a different partner (quite possibly Major League Baseball), they need to satisfy their still-sizable audience that watches via cable or satellite as well as those who want a stand-alone option. I know that offering both is MLB's plan if it takes over rights, and I have to imagine that would be part of any new deal to keep the team on Bally Sports North, too.
*The NBA is trying to tackle the league's flopping problem. Here is a look at what will be in effect during Summer League play.
*Just when it looked like Max Kepler was a lost cause, the Twins outfielder has gone 8-for-17 in his last five games with two home runs and a 1.324 OPS.
*Not saying it will happen, but Friday is the day Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns becomes eligible to be traded.
As he prepares to face NFC North rival Chicago on Sunday, the Vikings' star wide receiver admits he would use the same defensive strategy opponents are using against him this season.
