Vikings' Rookie QB J.J. McCarthy to Miss Entire 2024 Season Following Knee Surgery
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be sidelined for the entire 2024 NFL season due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. The injury was addressed with a full repair surgery performed by the team's medical staff on Wednesday morning.
McCarthy, drafted in the first round, becomes the eighth quarterback since the inception of the Common Draft era to miss his entire rookie season, and notably, the first to do so because of an injury.
The setback unfolded quickly. McCarthy reported knee soreness upon arriving at the facility on Monday following Minnesota's preseason opener. He had completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the game. His promising performance was marred by evident knee discomfort, prompting the medical staff to hold him out of practice.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed profound disappointment over the unfortunate turn of events, both for the team and McCarthy personally. "As crushed as I am for our team and the excitement we had in our building, and our fanbase felt the same way ... I am the most crushed for J.J. But as our fans either have already come to find out or will in the future, this guy is so motivated and so dialed in," he stated, reflecting on McCarthy's drive and potential.
Despite the setback, O'Connell remains optimistic about McCarthy's future. "As excited as I was to draft him, he's confirmed everything that I hoped to see, not only early on through training camp, first performance last Saturday, but he should -- our fanbase and everyone should just be excited about the fact that we've got our young franchise quarterback, I believe, in the building," he said.
McCarthy's absence significantly impacts the Vikings' outlook for the upcoming season. The team's total win projection has been adjusted downward by half a win to 6.5. Additionally, their odds of clinching the NFC North title have dropped by 2.2%, and their chances of making the playoffs are now at a slim 10.3%, a decrease of 4.7%.
Sam Darnold is now positioned as the presumptive starter heading into the season, a role that carries immense pressure as the Vikings navigate injuries and absences elsewhere on the roster. The team is already coping with the prolonged absence of tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is recovering from an ACL tear sustained late last season. Moreover, wide receiver Jordan Addison faces a likely suspension following a DUI arrest earlier this summer, and he sustained a minor injury in practice on Wednesday.
O'Connell emphasized the importance of McCarthy's mental development during his time off the field. "It's just about the unique aspect of continuing a very critical development process for him where maybe the physical reps aren't going to be there in the short-term. But this is going to be a small bump in the road. Other quarterbacks in our league have gone through similar things early on in their journey and come back stronger and better than ever. And that is not only my expectation, I know that is going to happen for J.J.," O'Connell remarked.
Looking ahead, the Vikings' coaching staff is focusing on maximizing McCarthy's growth in other aspects of the game. "Outside of the physical reps, there are just so many ways that now that the physical side and the path to physically playing the position the way we want is clearly there, it's now the [need to] really stress mentally above the neck where, how many ways and different sequences and different environments can we put him in that we can get as close to those reps as possible so that he has a seamless transition when that time is right," said O'Connell.
The faith in McCarthy's potential remains steadfast. "Checking the boxes of the physical part of it, there is no question in my mind the physical talent that J.J. has. And even just for some of you guys who saw him back from Day 1 in the spring until really Saturday night, the transformation of a really good player, had really started to look like an NFL quarterback," elaborated O'Connell.
With McCarthy's rookie season over before it truly began, the Vikings will need to recalibrate and rally around their new starter, Sam Darnold. The journey ahead may be fraught with challenges, but the organization remains hopeful that McCarthy will come back stronger and ready to lead the team in the future. For now, the focus will be on ensuring his recovery is both swift and complete.