J.J. McCarthy to undergo surgery to repair torn meniscus

J.J. McCarthy to undergo surgery to repair torn meniscus

After just one preseason game, Minnesota Vikings first-round rookie JJ McCarthy will have to go under the knife.

McCarthy missed Monday night’s practice with knee soreness, but an MRI confirmed that evening that the 21-year-old has a torn meniscus in his right knee that will require surgery, head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Tuesday.

The injury cements Sam Darnold as the team’s starting quarterback heading into Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, barring injury.

Minnesota drafted McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While Darnold was expected to begin the season under center anyway, McCarthy looked ahead of schedule in training camp. In his preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders Saturday, McCarthy completed 11-of-17 passes for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

This week was expected to be a big one for the first-round rookie, since it was the team’s first week of joint practices against the Cleveland Browns, a top-10 defense.

The team did not give a firm timetable for his recovery. It appears they caught it early enough to lead to a faster recovery, though it’s undetermined how severe the tear is, which could change the timetable. Plus, he’s the Vikings’ first-round rookie and their future behind center–they’re going to be overly cautious regardless.

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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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