Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) looks to hand off the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — JJ McCarthy’s rookie year with the Minnesota Vikings is already over.
The former Michigan star quarterback and NFL first-round draft pick will miss the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee that he sustained in his preseason debut last week.
McCarthy underwent surgery on Wednesday after sustaining the injury sometime during the game against Las Vegas. McCarthy had a solid training camp and relied on starter Sam Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with Minnesota in March.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell delivered the news about McCarthy Shortly thereafter, the team arrived for two days of joint training with the Browns.
The loss of McCarthy was especially tough for a franchise looking for a fresh start after letting Kirk Cousins leave as a free agent.
While some questioned Minnesota’s decision to select McCarthy 10th in the draft, the 21-year-old, who led the Wolverines to the national title last season, has checked all the boxes in recent months.
“I really think JJ has confirmed to me and many of our coaches and players that we have the right guy on the team for the future,” O’Connell said. “And he’s done it in such a short amount of time. That’s why this news is so hard.”
“Because you know how exciting it would have been if we were progressing day by day, minute by minute. But I think everyone in our building and hopefully our fans should feel optimism.”
McCarthy completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the 24-23 win over the Raiders – a performance that may have helped him get more playing time with the regular players.
After the game, he told the Vikings that his knee was sore and imaging studies confirmed the meniscus tear. The Vikings initially hoped that McCarthy would only be out for a month, but acknowledged that they would not know for sure until after his surgery.
“I feel the most sorry for JJ,” O’Connell said.
According to Sportradar, 135 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round since 1967, and McCarthy will be only the eighth to play as a non-rookie. The last to sit out his entire rookie year was Green Bay’s Jordan Love in 2020.
With McCarthy gone, Nick Mullens will be Minnesota’s No. 2 quarterback. Jaren Hall is No. 3 on the roster.
Mullens, 29, started three games for Minnesota last year when the Vikings’ season was derailed by an injury to Cousins and the team needed several backup players.
“He’s not just another capable player on the quarterback staff,” O’Connell said. “He provides context, experience and understanding to our offense on a daily basis. His experience last year was critical. I think he learned he can be an explosive driver of our offense, and he also learned to take care of the football and make sure we play aggressively but don’t go over the line by putting the ball at risk of being lost.”
“The team is excited about Nick because like many of us, we’ve been through ups and downs, but he’s able to really be a guy we can rely on and be just a click away.”
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) throws against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) throws under pressure against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) is hit by Las Vegas Raiders safety Jaydon Grant (40) as he battles for yards during the first half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
