Vikings S Lewis Cine adamant he will play in 2023

In the span of three weeks, Minnesota Vikings rookie safety Lewis Cine has gone from hoping to “for certain” playing in 2023.

In a recent interview with the Pioneer Press, Cine, who suffered compound fracture in his left leg on Oct. 2 against the New Orleans Saints in London, disclosed that he’s been walking without crutches since late October and that his rehab process is right on schedule.

“Next season, for sure,’’ Cine said of when he expects to play again. “… Nothing is going to keep me from playing next season, so I’ll do what I got to do in rehab and come back.”

While Cine didn’t outright blame the slit-film field at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he did state he believed the injury he suffered is less likely to happen on natural grass fields. 

Cine also seemingly supports NFL Players Association president J.C. Tretter’s quest to force the NFL to only play on grass surface fields. 

“There were bumps (on the field). When you were running on it, it felt like you were running on concrete, so it’s a bunch of crazy stuff. … I can’t say that’s definitely why I got hurt, but I know the field was not ideal at all.”

The 23-year-old Cine had surgery in London two days after suffering a broken left tibia and fibula, as well as a dislocated ankle. He was spotted walking without assistance or with a limp a little under a month following his surgery.