Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy out for 2024 season after meniscus surgery

Minnesota Vikings fans will have to wait a while before seeing JJ McCarthy back on the field.

The 2024 first-round pick underwent a complete meniscus repair on Wednesday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced he will be out for the 2024 season.

McCarthy was injured in his first NFL preseason game. He remained on the field despite knee pain, and the Vikings took a closer look at the situation two days later. The team discovered a torn meniscus in McCarthy’s knee, but said it would not know the extent of the injury or a timetable for his return until surgery is performed.

McCarthy was not scheduled to start the regular season. The team had planned for Sam Darnold to start the season as QB1 to allow McCarthy to sit and learn. This decision was made by the team after McCarthy’s injury.

For a while, Vikings fans will have to reminisce about McCarthy’s first preseason game. He played very well. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. Most of his work came against defensive players well down the Raiders’ roster, but he still looked decisive and made a few nice passes. It was a positive debut, followed by some bad news about an injury.

The Vikings will be cautious with McCarthy’s return. They traded up to the 10th overall pick to take McCarthy and have been careful to do what’s best for his development since selecting him. That plan didn’t include a preseason injury, which puts a damper on the Vikings’ season before it even begins.