Vikings, NFL Condemn Racist Messeges Sent to Minnesota's Mattison

MINNESOTA — The NFL and Minnesota Vikings issued statements condemning the torrent of racist and violent messages sent online to running back Alexander Mattison following his team's 28-34 loss on Thursday Night Football.

Mattison shared the vulgar messages on his Instagram page Friday morning, stating "This is not OK."

"I hope the 60+ people who decided to come at me with disgustingly disrespectful messages tonight in DM's and comments really reflect on WTF you say and how it could truly affect someone. Under my helmet, I am a human.. a father.. a son. This is sick. SMH."

The NFL released the following statement following Mattison's post:

The NFL strongly condemns the racist comments directed towards Alexander Mattison online after last night’s game. Such hateful behavior is completely unacceptable in the NFL or anywhere else. We stand firmly with Alexander and remind fans to remember the humanity of all players and celebrate their contributions to the game we all love.

The Vikings released a separate but similar statement on the incident:

We are sickened by the hatred and racial slurs directed toward Alexander Mattison following last night’s game. There simply is no room for racist words or actions in sports or society. The Vikings will continue to fight to eliminate hate, to educate and to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community that respects and values our unique backgrounds. We stand with Alexander and all players who, unfortunately, experience this type of ignorant and prejudicial behavior, and we ask our fans to continue to fight to eliminate racism.

Mattison — who took over for former Vikings running back Dalvin Cook this season— fumbled and had 28 rushing yards on eight carries in Philadelphia. NFL fans and people in fantasy football leagues have a history of losing touch with reality and spreading hateful messages after a loss or bad game.

Two games into the season, the Vikings are still looking for their first win. They play the Los Angeles Chargers in Minneapolis on Sunday, Sept. 24.