WhatsNew2Day – Latest News And Breaking Headlines
Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison revealed a torrent of racist and hateful social media messages he’s received since losing one of the team’s four fumbles in Game 34 loss -28 on Thursday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mattison, a 25-year-old running back tasked with replacing free agent Dalvin Cook, revealed two direct messages he received, both of which implored him to kill himself.
“Y’all can come at me all you want about fantasy and, ‘you suck’ blah blah blah,” Mattison wrote alongside his Instagram posts.
“I really don’t care. But this shit is unacceptable. SMFH I hope the 60+ people who decided to send me disgusting and disrespectful messages tonight in the DMs and comments will really think about WTF you are saying and how it could really affect someone. Under my helmet, I am human. A father. A son. It’s sick. SMH.’
The messages not only included the N-word and other racial slurs, but also explicitly told Mattison he was stupid.
Vikings running back Alexander Mattison revealed the racist hate messages he received
Mattison, a 25-year-old running back tasked with replacing free agent Dalvin Cook, revealed two direct messages he received, both of which implored him to kill himself.
The racist abuse follows a particularly heartbreaking loss for the Vikings, who nearly beat the Eagles on a near touchdown run by Justin Jefferson.
The All-Pro receiver had a 30-yard reception that brought Minnesota to the Philadelphia one-yard line and attempted to stretch into the end zone before losing the ball while attached to the pylon.
The ball rolled into the end zone and out of bounds, and a seemingly safe score for the Vikings — a first-and-goal, at the very least — instead turned into a touchback.
“Justin is just trying to make a play at that point,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.
Jefferson, who otherwise had a fantastic game with 11 catches for 159 yards, had company with the fumble-happy Vikings. The Vikings lost four fumbles, a critical factor in Thursday night’s 34-28 loss to the Eagles.
“I put a lot of effort into it, fumbling in the end zone like that when we need points,” Jefferson said. “As the captain of the team, I have to know the situation, take care of the ball. I told my teammates that it was my fault and it won’t happen again.
The Vikings fell to 0-2, with both losses by one score, a year after going 11-0 in one-score games during a 13-4 season.
Alexander Mattison #2 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball during the fourth quarter
Kirk Cousins, who threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns, threw a pass to Jefferson with the Vikings leading 10-7 late in the first half. Jefferson beat a double team and caught the ball around the 5-yard line. He took a few big steps down the sideline and reached toward the pylon just as safety Terrell Edmunds tripped him. The ball flew over the pylon and went out of bounds, giving the Eagles the ball at the 20.
“He’s trying to do everything he can to win,” O’Connell said. “It was incredibly unfortunate at the time.”
Even with the fumble, Jefferson surpassed 5,000 receiving yards in 52 career games, tying Hall of Famer Lance Alworth for the fewest games needed to reach that mark in NFL history. Jefferson had his fifth game with at least 10 catches and 150 yards, the most by an NFL player before turning 25. He turned 24 in June.
Cousins said he tried to examine why each turnover occurred.
“If Justin goes out of bounds at the 5-yard line, he doesn’t reach,” Cousins said. “He reaches because he thinks he has a chance at the half-yard line.”
Protecting the ball became an early headache for Minnesota.
Cousins lost two fumbles and the Vikings recorded three first-half turnovers in a season-opening home loss to Tampa Bay.
Against the Eagles, the problem persisted.
“Obviously I need to coach him better,” O’Connell said. “Ball security is a major objective of our football philosophy.”
Punt returner Brandon Powell coughed up the ball in the first quarter and the Eagles recovered. The Vikings’ first play after picking off Jalen Hurts for the only time in the game resulted in a turnover.
It was Mattison who fumbled and Justin Evans recovered the ball.
Alexander Mattison #2 of the Minnesota Vikings attempts to recover a pass from Cousins
The Vikings have now lost the turnover battle by a combined score of 7-1 in the first two games.
“You’re not going to win too many games like that in this league,” Jefferson said. “I feel like we need to do better in terms of revenue margin. We just have to keep the ball, take care of the ball and I feel like the game would be totally different.
Cousins was sacked deep in Minnesota territory by Josh Sweat on the first drive of the second half. Fletcher Cox recovered the ball and took it to the Vikings 7-yard line. Two plays later, Hurts scored on a 1-yard run that increased Philadelphia’s lead to 20-7.
“I didn’t see it,” Cousins said. “I guess it’s that old blind term.”