Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy to miss rookie season following surgery to repair meniscus

McCarthy suffered the suitable meniscus tear throughout Minnesota’s preseason opener towards the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday and sat out of Monday’s apply with what was initially considered knee soreness. Additional testing revealed he’d torn his meniscus, prompting surgical procedure.

“As crushed as I’m for our crew and the thrill that we had in our constructing and our fanbase felt the identical method, particularly after seeing him carry out rather well the opposite day at U.S. Financial institution Stadium, I am essentially the most crushed for J.J,” O’Connell mentioned. “However, as our followers both have already come to search out out or will sooner or later, this man is so motivated and so dialed in. As excited as I used to be to draft him, he is confirmed every part that I hoped to see not solely early on by way of coaching camp, by way of his efficiency final Saturday, however our fanbase and everybody ought to simply be enthusiastic about the truth that we have our younger franchise quarterback, I consider, within the constructing.”

The magnitude of the harm is unprecedented, as McCarthy will turn out to be the primary quarterback drafted within the prime 10 through the Tremendous Bowl period (since 1967) to overlook his total rookie season because of an harm, in response to NFL Analysis.

McCarthy confronted an opportunity to return inside just a few weeks if his surgeon opted to trim the meniscus. As an alternative, they totally repaired the tendon, inserting the Michigan product on a for much longer restoration timeline that may sideline him for the 2024 marketing campaign.

Minnesota chosen McCarthy with the No. 10 total decide of the 2024 NFL Draft in April, making him the fifth quarterback to be chosen within the first 10 picks.

“Now it is concerning the distinctive side of continuous a really crucial growth course of for him, the place possibly the bodily reps aren’t going to be there within the quick time period, however that is going to be a small bump within the highway,” O’Connell mentioned. “Different quarterbacks in our league have gone by way of related issues early on of their journey and got here again stronger and higher than ever, and that isn’t solely my expectation — I do know that’s going to occur for J.J. We could have an incredible plan for him not solely within the quarterback room with these different guys, however a course of so him and I can proceed to construct our rapport and ensure there is a day-to-day soccer course of. However early on, most significantly, it may be about that rehab and the bodily side of working his method again. I count on him to make a full restoration.”

The Vikings protected themselves by signing veteran Sam Darnold, who started coaching camp because the crew’s prime quarterback on the depth chart, however was dealing with rising strain from McCarthy after the rookie shined in his first preseason motion, tossing two landing passes (and one interception) within the recreation towards the Raiders.

With McCarthy sidelined, the job is now Darnold’s for 2024. He’ll try and fill the void left by Kirk Cousins, who departed Minneapolis for Atlanta in free company.