Blake Proehl is a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings who joined the team as an undrafted free agent from East Carolina University in 2021. During a joint practice against the Denver Broncos, Blake’s rookie season was cut short by a knee injury where he suffered multiple ligament damage in addition to tearing his patellar tendon. Initially, Blake wasn’t sure if he would ever run again, but on October 17th 2022, he was activated off injured reserve and signed to the Vikings practice squad.
Throughout the grueling rehab process, Blake maintained his positive spirit and continued to spread his contagious energy with his Viking teammates. In addition to rehabbing, Blake also extended his gift of singing at the local Children’s hospital where he and one of his teammates sang holiday songs for the young patients. Blake’s ability to overcome adversity on the field while continuing to make a positive impact in his community made him the perfect recipient of the 2022 Ed Block Courage Award.
