After leading the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship during the 2023 college football season, J.J. McCarthy was among the most hyped players in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Minnesota Vikings selected McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in hopes that he’ll be their next franchise quarterback. His two-touchdown performance in his preseason debut against the Las Vegas Raiders led to a ton of excitement from the Vikings faithful.
Unfortunately, it will be a while before McCarthy takes the field again, as he suffered a knee injury that required surgery and will keep him sidelined for quite a while.
How Long Will J.J. McCarthy Be Out?
The Vikings’ star rookie went 11 for 17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception against Las Vegas.
After the game, McCarthy experienced knee soreness. Tests showed that he suffered a meniscus tear on his right knee that required surgery. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said it was initially unclear whether the procedure would “just be a cleanup or potentially a repair.” McCarthy ended up needing a full meniscus repair, which will sideline him for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Addressing his injury, McCarthy took to social media to send a heartwarming message to fans, promising a quick return.
Love you Viking nation. I’ll be back in no time. Amor fati
— J.J. McCarthy (@jjmccarthy09) August 13, 2024
The Vikings face the Cleveland Browns on Saturday in their second preseason game. This is a huge bummer for McCarthy and the Vikings organization, as their QB of the future won’t be able to get any reps this season and this will slow down his development.
How Does McCarthy’s Injury Affect the Vikings’ QB Depth Chart?
O’Connell made it clear in a press conference last week that Darnold will be Minnesota’s starting quarterback in Week 1 when they face the New York Giants, so this injury doesn’t change much in the short term.
However, McCarthy was expected to start at some point this season, but now that’s not possible. Darnold will likely remain under center all season.
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The backup quarterback behind Darnold on the Vikings’ depth chart will be either Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall. They’ll battle for that spot over the next two preseason games.