RETURNING FROM INDIANAPOLIS VIA FLIGHT — Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, stated prior to the 2023 campaign that he had always respected Alexander Mattison’s style of play, even before he was appointed general manager in 2022. It is easy to understand why. The tough runner had impressive stats.

Prior to 2022, Mattison gained 1,387 yards from running 330 times (averaging 4.2 yards per carry) and 7.9 yards per catch from 55 throws. That is an excellent season for a bell cow return. Although Mattison’s yards per carry average decreased in 2022, he still managed a 47.3% success rate on 74 rushes, which was comparable to Cook’s 2021 and 2022 campaigns.

The plan was for Mattison to start as the starting pitcher and a youthful group of recent draft picks, including Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride, to compete for rotational places behind the veteran. However, nobody proved to be prepared yet, and Mattison started Week 1 as the only reliable running back—a position he hadn’t held since his time at Boise State.

Mattison had a difficult start, only gaining 34 and 28 yards in his opening two contests. In order to provide Mattison with any kind of relief during the latter portion of the season, the Vikings were obliged to acquire Cam Akers early in the season. Mattison averaged a respectable 4.0 yards per carry from Weeks 3 through 13. However, he was rife with rushes and drops that didn’t seem to be able to follow blocks or predict where the defenders would be. And when he fumbled against the Denver Broncos in a game the Vikings seemed to be winning, it was one terrible moment that tipped the scales for the entire season.

Mattison got hurt in one of his best games of the year against Vegas and Ty Chandler blew up against the Cincinnati Bengals to the tune of 132 yards and never gave the job back to Mattison. Chandler finished with 102 carries for 461 yards (4.5 YPC).

When the Vikings chose to try Mattison on a full-time basis, it was a worthwhile experiment. It was fitting for a club that offered several young players, such as Josh Metellus and Ivan Pace Jr., the chance to establish themselves. Mattison was just not a good fit.