They say the chances of a high schooler becoming a professional football player are less than one percent,1,2 so what are the chances for two brothers?

There have been many iconic pairs of siblings in the league over the years, such as the Sharpes, Barbers, Mannings, Kelces, and now, the Cooks, who will play each other for the second time this season. They went head-to-head in week 1, with Dalvin’s New York Jets rallying to beat James’s Buffalo Bills in overtime.

But it’s all love between the Cook brothers; they may play the same position and they may be division rivals, but Dalvin Cook and his brother James support each other, just like Thorne supports them.

“We kind of push each other in those weak spots and make each other better,” Dalvin says. “We have fun, we work hard, and we play hard.”

Dalvin saw success early on as a running back, setting the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie debut rushing record in his first pro game, and rushing for 354 yards over his first four games.

Then he tore his ACL, prematurely ending his season. But with that early adversity, and the injuries that followed, came wisdom. Now, recovery is an essential part of Dalvin’s routine and that’s why he turns to Thorne.

“Thorne puts my body in the best position,” Dalvin says. “Being a running back is tough … we do the dirty work. So, recovery is number one in my book.” 

New players often don’t understand the importance of taking care of their bodies, he says, and James agrees. Now in his second year, James is proud of the growth he has seen in himself since the start of his rookie season. And as he continues to improve, James says he is lucky to have Dalvin’s insight.

“Dalvin can tell me what I’m going to be getting ready to do week after week because he probably played against that team before,” he says. “We push each other every time we’re out there. I mean, we have to. To get better.”

And part of that progress comes from putting their bodies in the best positions they can, day in and day out. Dalvin takes Super EPA, Amino Complex, SynaQuell, and his favorite – Creatine. In addition to Amino Complex and Creatine, James leans on Multi-Vitamin Elite and FloraSport 20B.

One thing these Thorne supplements have in common? They are a part of Thorne’s NSF Certified for Sport® product line, a suite of supplements that are tested for almost 300 banned substances. 

In addition to NSF, Thorne also conducts four rounds of testing in-house on all supplements to ensure the final product contains only what you need for optimal health. Between Thorne’s NSF Certified for Sport® product line and Thorne’s in-house testing, professional athletes like Dalvin and James can have peace of mind when taking a drug test.

“I have people looking up to me, so you know, I have to set high standards for myself and everything that I do,” James says. “That’s how I keep my legacy going... keep playing good football.”

Thorne is thrilled to partner with Dalvin and James and excited to bring you more health and wellness content.

References

  1. Football: Probability of competing beyond high school. NCAA.org. https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/2/27/football-probability-of-competing-beyond-high-school.aspx [Accessed November 2, 2023]
  2. Odds of high school players going pro. Ohio State University College of Public Health. https://u.osu.edu/groupbetaengr2367/junran-add-things-here-for-real/#:~:text=Roughly%20speaking%2C%20there%20were%201%2C083%2C308,eager%20for%20a%20professional%20career [Accessed November 2, 2023]