Vikings RB Akers has torn Achilles, MRI confirms

EAGAN, Minn. — An MRI confirmed that Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers tore his left Achilles, coach Kevin O’Connell announced Monday.

It marks the second such injury for Akers in his four-year career. He tore his right Achilles tendon in the first week of the 2021 season while playing for the Los Angeles Rams, forcing him to miss the rest of the regular season.

“Cam is pretty bummed out,” O’Connell said.

But he became one of the first prominent NFL players to undergo the SpeedBridge surgical procedure, helping him cut his recovery time from the typical nine to 12 months to 5½ months, and he returned in time for the 2021 postseason.

The Vikings acquired Akers from the Rams in Week 3 to serve as a backup for, and eventually share backfield duties with, starter Alexander Mattison. He rushed eight times for 25 yards Sunday before the injury, including a long of 19, and caught three passes for 13 yards.

In six games with the Vikings, Akers totaled 138 yards and one touchdown on 38 carries. The Vikings likely will now turn to Ty Chandler as Mattison’s backup.