There’s a J.J. McCarthy Injury Update
The list of J.J. McCarthy’s injuries got even longer on Sunday when the passer left the game with a hand injury. Initial X-rays were negative, but the 22-year-old won’t be available in Thursday’s divisional bout against the Detroit Lions.
J.J. McCarthy Ruled Out for Christmas
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stepped in front of the media on Tuesday afternoon and provided an injury update. According to the fourth-year skipper, further imaging revealed a “very, very small hairline fracture that was discovered in McCarthy’s hand.”
Though ruled out for the game against the Lions in Week 17, he will not be placed on IR, and his availability for the Week 18 season finale is in question. O’Connell added, “We are not expecting to have him this week. I do not think this is anything that will require surgery. Recovery’s kind of similar to a bone bruise.”
For the third time, the Vikings struggle to pinpoint the exact play in which the injury occurred. The same happened with McCarthy’s meniscus injury, which ended his 2024 campaign in August, and the concussion he suffered against the Green Bay Packers, which prevented him from competing against the Seattle Seahawks.
That reunion with Sam Darnold resulted in a miserable day for the purple squad, as the scoreboard showed a 26-0 deficit at the final whistle. Just like that day, Max Brosmer will lead Minnesota’s offense on Christmas, when the Vikings have the chance to end their rival’s season by eliminating them from playoff contention.
O’Connell praised McCarthy for his growth over the past weeks and months: “I’ve been really, really happy and proud of the way J.J., through the final stanza of the season here, was really, really took some big steps and grown. It’s been a blast being with him every day and being along that ride with him, although we’ve lost time. That doesn’t take away from the growth we’ve seen from J.J. He’s dialed in. He was out here for the walk-throughs and wants to stay 100% locked and loaded in the hopes of returning next week, hopefully. But obviously, we’re going to be smart with him and see where it takes us.”
McCarthy’s season has been turbulent, marked by injuries and “learning opportunities,” as O’Connell always calls his mistakes.
If he can’t take the field in Week 18, the final statistical scorecard of his first season as a starter shows only nine games. He has completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His mobility is shown by another 174 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The encouraging aspect is that his best performances have been the last three games, in which it appeared as if things had started to click for him. Unfortunately, that learning curve will once again be paused.
O’Connell commented, “It’s just a bummer because it’s been really fun. … I know the week-to-week judgment of players and decisions and all these things that are noise in many cases, I understand it all. But the most fun part of this, and the most real part of it, is coaching the young player on his journey, where we’ve really started to see, kind of, some things click for him.”
McCarthy is 22 years old, and he will be the hot topic in the Twin Cities all offseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.