Minnesota Vikings’ rookie QB J.J. McCarthy has torn meniscus, will have surgery

MINNEAPOLIS — First-round pick J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback of the future, will undergo a procedure after tearing his meniscus, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday.

O’Connell said the team has no timeline on his surgery or recovery because the severity of the injury is not yet known.

“First and foremost, we’ll get this procedure done,” O’Connell said. “We’ll make sure that we’re doing the right things for him to have the best possible recovery. When that takes place, we do not know.”

The rookie complained of knee soreness following the team’s first preseason game. He will not go to Cleveland for the team’s joint practices and preseason game against the Browns this week.

“Love you Viking nation,” McCarthy posted to social media Tuesday. “I’ll be back in no time.”   

The Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall in April out of Michigan. Veteran Sam Darnold was already expected to enter this season as the starter, but McCarthy’s surgery now seals the job for him.

“Sam’s had a really good camp and my confidence level in Sam is very, very high at this point,” O’Connell said. “Looking forward to seeing him continue his progression that we’ve had for him throughout the early part of camp into that first preseason game.”

In Saturday’s preseason win over the Raiders, McCarthy went 11/17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. O’Connell said McCarthy’s injury took place during the game. Darnold went 4/8 for 59 yards. 

Aside from Darnold, the Vikings have QBs Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens, both of whom started games for them last season. O’Connell said the team may look at adding another player at the position.

For Vikings fans, McCarthy’s torn meniscus may call to mind another preseason knee injury, though his is much less severe. In 2016, promising young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a torn ACL and other structural damage during practice. Like McCarthy’s, Bridgewater’s injury came just after a scintillating preseason performance that got fans hyped for the future. Bridgewater’s injury waylaid his career, and instead of becoming a franchise quarterback in Minnesota, he turned into a solid if unspectacular journeyman starter for multiple teams. McCarthy does not seem destined for the same fate, but Vikings fans may be (understandably) sensitive when it comes to preseason knee injuries.