Chris Cook, suspended without pay after allegedly strangling his girlfriend and being charged with felony domestic assault, has been reinstated to the Minnesota Vikings' active roster. But even if Cook has resumed collecting a paycheck, he won't return to action on the field or even be present at the team's facilities until his legal situation is resolved, head coach Leslie Frazier said Monday during his weekly press conference.
Chris Cook Reinstated By Vikings, But He Won’t Play Soon, Says Leslie Frazier
“We think it’s best for him to really focus on the legal matters and not be a part of what we are doing right now, and that’s what he believes, along with his agent, as well,” Frazier said.
“He believes he needs to focus on his case which is a very serious matter as we all know. It’s something organizationally we were all very concerned about and we want him to put his energy and efforts into that case.”
When asked if Cook may play again this season, Frazier all but ruled it out. “It’s hard to say that we are going to see him again, considering what he is facing,” he said. “But we will see what happens.”
Frazier refused to speculate on Cook’s long-term future with the team. “It’s so tough to say today, as we stand here in November, considering the situation and not knowing how it’s going to play out,” he said. “It’s hard to look into the future.”
Cook, a second-round pick out of Virginia in 2010, is in his second year with the Vikings. He hasn’t commented publicly about his case since tweeting an apology to his teammates and fans following his release from jail last month.
See More:
