Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy needs surgery: How much time will the rookie miss?

The rookie’s injury will give way for Sam Darnold to take the starting position with Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings are bracing for an extended period without their rookie quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who is set to undergo surgery on his right knee after suffering a torn meniscus.

The team announced the news on Tuesday, just days after McCarthy reported soreness following the Vikings’ preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

McCarthy could miss his full rookie season

McCarthy, who was expected to get more reps with the first-team offense this week, impressed during his preseason debut, completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.

However, the soreness he experienced after the game led to further tests, revealing the meniscus tear.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed the injury during a virtual press conference, emphasizing that the exact timeline for McCarthy’s recovery will depend on the findings during surgery.

“It has been determined that J.J. does have a tear in his meniscus, in his right knee. He will need to undergo a procedure, obviously that will hopefully take place in the near future here,”O’Connell said.

“But as far as a timeline on the injury, that will be determined during the procedure, based upon whether it can just be a cleanup or potentially a repair.”

The injury occurred during Saturday’s game, although there wasn’t a specific play where McCarthy appeared to get hurt.

“I credit J.J. for obviously being able to continue to play. He did not come out of the game from the injury,”O’Connell remarked, praising McCarthy’s toughness in finishing the game despite the injury.

Sam Darnold confirmed as Vikings’ starting QB

With McCarthy sidelined, veteran quarterback Sam Darnold is expected to solidify his position as the Vikings’ starting quarterback for the upcoming season.

Darnold, who started Saturday’s game, showcased his skills in his limited snaps, making several impressive throws that caught the attention of both fans and coaches alike.

“I thought Sam played really well in his 12 plays of work the other day … and that was a continued, pretty consistent performance from what we’ve seen on the practice field throughout training camp,”O’Connell noted, expressing confidence in Darnold’s ability to lead the team moving forward.

The Vikings now face the challenge of preparing for the season without their promising rookie, whose development was a key focus for the team.

O’Connell stressed the importance of supporting McCarthy through his recovery, stating, “First and foremost, we’ll get this procedure done. We’ll make sure we’re doing the things for him to have the best possible recovery when that takes place.”

The team will continue evaluating their quarterback depth, which also includes Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall, as they determine whether an additional quarterback is needed for training camp and the preseason.