Dalvin Cook teased a return to his roots by donning his vintage No. 4 jersey in the NFL, and now, the 26-year-old Minnesota Vikings running back is confirming it.
“That number symbolizes a lot to me. My father passed away, and that’s the number he’d want me to wear,” Cook told TMZ Sports, while holding up four fingers with both hands. “…I got my number back.”
The NFL rescinded the rule against players at the offensive skilled positions, among other positions, from wearing single-digit numbers on their jerseys. However, the one caveat was that players had to “buy out the existing inventory of jersey distributors,” as reported by ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
Cook was believed to have to pay as much as $1.5 million to buy out his old jerseys, but when speaking with TMZ, he said all he had to do was wait it out.
“I don’t have to pay that [$1.5 million]. I had to wait. I just had to wait,” said Cook.
Cook wore the No. 4 jersey during his rise as an NFL prospect at Miami Central High School and Florida State. So there is obviously some serious sentimental value linked with his football upbringing, along with honoring the memory of his late father.
When asked if the number change would lead to the best season of his career, he left the interviewer with only three words.
“Just watch me,” Cook said.
