Vikings QB Sam Darnold suffers knee bruise, but MRI shows no major injury

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a knee bruise in Sunday's 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans, but an MRI showed he avoided structural damage, NFL Media reported Monday, and he's not expected to miss any time.

Darnold went 17 for 28 (60.7%) for 181 yards and no interceptions in the double-digit win. The 27-year-old left the game to get his left knee checked on after a late hit by current Texans and former Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter, but Darnold came back after one play to a loud roar from the crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The third overall pick in 2018, Darnold is currently enjoying a successful start to the season. The seven-year NFL veteran currently leads the league with eight touchdown passes through three games, all of which have been wins for Minnesota. 

Darnold has recorded 657 passing yards and a 67.9% completion rate in his first three starts with the Vikings.

Darnold, a former Rose Bowl winner with USC, is on his fourth team in six years after stints with the New York Jets (2018-20), the Carolina Panthers (2021-22) and the San Francisco 49ers (2023). He was initially expected to be a bridge to 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy, but the former standout Michigan QB suffered a torn meniscus in the preseason.

Minnesota plays the rival Green Bay Packers next week, who also just enjoyed a surprising QB performance from backup Malik Willis in a win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, as starter Jordan Love is out and recovering from an MCL sprain.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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