Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy out indefinitely with torn meniscus

J.J. McCarthy's status for the start of his rookie season is in flux.

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is set undergo knee surgery after tearing his meniscus, coach Kevin O'Connell confirmed to reporters on Tuesday. It's unclear if McCarthy will undergo a meniscus trim or a complete repair of the meniscus as that will be determined when he undergoes surgery, ESPN reported. 

If McCarthy opts to undergo a meniscus trim, he's expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks, NFL Media reported. A complete repair would likely sideline him for much longer.

McCarthy was one of a handful of first-round rookie quarterbacks who impressed in his preseason debut. After throwing an interception on his first drive, McCarthy tossed two deep touchdown passes in a 24-23 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He finished the day completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards.

It's unclear when McCarthy suffered the injury, but O'Connell shared that the quarterback felt some soreness during Saturday's contest. He remained in the game through the team's set snap count despite the injury, O'Connell said. 

It's unclear what caused McCarthy's meniscus injury. He wasn't sacked in Saturday's game, but he had two runs, going for a total of 18 yards. 

McCarthy posted a message to social media after the news of his injury broke, saying "I'll be back in no time."

As a result of McCarthy's injury, Sam Darnold is now in line to be the Vikings' starting quarterback in Week 1. McCarthy and Darnold were competing for the starting job after Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins in free agency this offseason. 

The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year deal shortly after losing Cousins. A month later, they traded up one pick in order to draft McCarthy with the No. 9 selection. The Michigan product was the fifth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

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