Vikings' J.J. McCarthy to Have Surgery on Knee Injury, Will Be Out Indefinitely

After an impressive preseason debut last weekend, Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy has suffered a setback.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Tuesday that McCarthy will undergo knee surgery after suffering a torn meniscus. McCarthy is out indefinitely, though a general timeline will depend on the type of surgery he has:

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While speaking to reporters on McCarthy's meniscus injury, O'Connell said, "We don't know the severity yet," and added that a timeline for his recovery won't be determined until after he undergoes surgery.

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted that McCarthy had complained about knee soreness over the weekend before undergoing an MRI on Monday night. The 21-year-old was held out of Monday's practice out of precaution before further evaluation revealed a more serious issue.

Tuesday's news is particularly disappointing because it halts the momentum McCarthy was building following his encouraging preseason debut on Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 2024 No. 10 pick threw for 188 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while completing 11 of his 17 passes. He also scrambled twice and picked up 18 yards, showing no indications of an injury at the time.

However, O'Connell told reporters Tuesday that McCarthy suffered the injury during Saturday's game but continued playing through it because he didn't think it was something major. It wasn't until he experienced discomfort the next day that he informed the team's medical staff of the issue.

With McCarthy sidelined, veteran signal-caller Sam Darnold is set to be Minnesota's starting quarterback in Week 1 against the New York Giants.