Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will undergo surgery for a torn meniscus, potentially putting the first-round pick’s first NFL season in jeopardy.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced the injury on Tuesday after the passer was held out of practice on Monday. The team doesn’t know the severity of McCarthy’s injury and whether the meniscus in his right knee will need to be fully repaired or not. That will be determined when McCarthy has his surgery and then a timeline for recovery can be assessed, O’Connell said.
It could be a devastating injury for the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The starting quarterback for the Week 1 has not been officially determined, but veteran Sam Darnold started the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday.
Whether the meniscus injury is severe or not, McCarthy is likely to miss several weeks and potentially the start of the regular season. Last year, cornerback Jalen Ramsey had a tear in his meniscus during training camp but only missed the first seven games of the season. In 2022, former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson injured his meniscus during the preseason and returned by Week 4. Viking fans may also remember running back Adrian Peterson tore his meniscus in Week 2 of the 2016 season, had surgery and returned for Week 15.
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McCarthy played in Saturday’s preseason opener, where he went 11-for-17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. O’Connell said the injury happened at some point during the game but could not pinpoint exactly when it happened.
The quarterback said on social media he will ‘be back in no time.’
With McCarthy sidelined for the moment, the Vikings have Darnold, Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens at quarterback.
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