It's pretty unusual for modern-day NFL nose tackles to receive any kind of praise for their speed or explosiveness, but Linval Joseph of the Minnesota Vikings is ready to force that conversation. After returning a fumble for a 64-yard score last Sunday, the Vikings' starting nose tackle had his Madden 19 speed rating boosted an astounding 12 points, bringing it to 80 overall. The 80 mark ties him with Philadelphia's Fletcher Cox as the 3rd fastest defensive tackle in the game.
According to NFL statisticians, Linval reached a max speed of 18.2 miles per hour during his TD outburst. For the sake of comparison, New York Jets safety Marcus Maye reached a max speed during his 104 interception return last weekend. Unfortunately, Marcus' pick 6 was called back due to a flag on the play.
After the Eagles game, Linval was met with several media inquisitions over his unlocked talent. "I’m not slow," Joseph said. "I know I might be big, but I’m really not slow. Even when I ran the 400 and 200 (high school track & field), I didn’t get first, but I didn’t get last. I always made points for our team. I like running. Running is fun."
Linval's speed is made even more impressive when you consider his 329-pound frame. The time-space continuum has been shattered into bite-size pieces, thanks to Linval's high school track & field regimen.