J.J. McCarthy to undergo knee surgery; timeline for recovery unknown
Rookie Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will undergo knee surgery, solidifying Sam Darnold to be Minnesota’s starter for Week One of the regular season.
Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed the surgery on Tuesday, stating McCarthy is undergoing the procedure to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee.
At this time, McCarthy’s window of recovery is unclear, depending entirely on what the procedure finds.
The news comes after McCarthy missed practice on Monday for what was first thought to be knee soreness.
McCarthy took to social media, stating he would be back:
The first-round draft pick was able to get his first taste of action in the NFL during a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders in which he threw two touchdowns and one interception.
However, with his injury now sidelining him for an indefinite amount of time, NFL veteran Sam Darnold is poised to be the team’s starting quarterback for the start of the regular season. Darnold was already the presumptive starter for the Vikings, as the team has stated they want to give McCarthy time to develop.