Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss the entire season following knee surgery, the team announced on Wednesday.
McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during the team’s preseason opener on Saturday, where they defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 24-23. During the game, McCarthy completed 30 snaps and threw a touchdown on his final play.
On Tuesday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stated that medical professionals would assess during the surgery whether McCarthy required a meniscus trim, which could have allowed for a return this season, or a complete repair. The procedure concluded that McCarthy required a full repair, ruling him out until 2025.
At just 21 years old, McCarthy was the 10th overall selection in the NFL draft this past April. He played three seasons at Michigan, achieving a 27-1 record and leading the Wolverines to a national championship last year.
Minnesota selected McCarthy as they moved on from quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was not re-signed after spending six seasons with the team. McCarthy became the first quarterback the Vikings picked in the first round since Teddy Bridgewater in 2014.
In McCarthy’s absence, Sam Darnold, who was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft, is anticipated to take over as the Vikings’ starting quarterback.
“Sam’s had a really good camp, and my confidence level in Sam is very, very high at this point,” O’Connell commented this week. “I’m really looking forward to Sam’s continued growth and success in the offense, and I know his teammates and the rest of the coaching staff have been really enthused by what Sam’s done.”