Minnesota Vikings fans will have to wait a while to see JJ McCarthy on the field again.
The 2024 first-round draft pick underwent a complete meniscus repair on Wednesday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that the rookie will be out for the 2024 season.
McCarthy was injured in his first NFL preseason game. He stayed in the game despite a sore knee and was examined more closely by the Vikings two days later. The Vikings discovered a torn meniscus in McCarthy’s knee but initially said they wouldn’t know the severity of the injury or a timetable for his return until surgery was performed.
McCarthy was not expected to start the regular season. The team’s plan was for Sam Darnold to start the season as QB1 to allow McCarthy time to sit and learn. That decision was made for the team with McCarthy’s injury.
For a while, Vikings fans will have to hold on to footage from McCarthy’s first preseason game. He played very well. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. Most of his work came against players who were far down the Raiders’ defensive depth chart, but he still looked decisive and made some good throws. It was a positive debut, followed by some bad injury news.
The Vikings will be cautious about McCarthy’s return. They moved up to the 10th overall pick to select McCarthy and have been mindful of doing what’s best for his development since selecting him. That plan didn’t include a preseason injury, which puts a damper on the Vikings’ season before it even begins.