Kevin Seifert
Multiple Authors
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was unavailable for Friday’s preseason sport on the Denver Broncos due to an ankle injury he suffered final weekend in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens.
“We hoped to get him turned over,” coach Kevin O’Connell stated after the Vikings’ 34-6 loss to the Broncos. “The goal was to have him start the game tonight and try to get him a half if we could. … We just couldn’t get him there.”
Asked the place McCarthy stood on the Vikings depth chart following the top of the preseason, O’Connell stated: “We’re going to work through that as a staff and see where he’s at from a health standpoint first and foremost. We don’t have any long-term concerns. Still consider him day to day and we’ll see what that looks like.”
Starter Kyler Murray was beforehand scheduled to sit out, together with many of the Vikings’ front-line gamers. That left veteran Carson Wentz and second-year quarterback Max Brosmer because the out there quarterbacks in Denver.
McCarthy’s injury prompted coach Kevin O’Connell to take away him sooner than anticipated from the Ravens sport. O’Connell stated earlier this week that he hoped McCarthy might begin in opposition to the Broncos to get extra sport reps earlier than the common season begins.
Instead, McCarthy instructed staff officers that he didn’t really feel comfy sufficient to play.
Although gentle, the injury is one other in a protracted checklist of illnesses that has value McCarthy taking part in time because the Vikings made him the No. 10 decide of the 2024 draft. He missed his whole rookie season due to a torn meniscus in his proper knee and performed solely 10 video games in 2025 due to a excessive proper ankle sprain and a concussion. He left two of his begins early due to a hairline fracture in his proper thumb.
Upon naming Murray the starter, O’Connell stated McCarthy could be his main backup. But after final weekend’s injury, which coincided with McCarthy lacking two open receivers for potential touchdowns, O’Connell indicated that the No. 2 job was aggressive between McCarthy and Wentz.