T.J. Hockenson Injury Update Lands Vikings TE on PUP List

Hockenson will miss the first four games of the season following an injury suffered in Week 16.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

T.J. Hockenson, the Minnesota Vikings star tight end, will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Hockenson will miss the first four games of the season after landing on the PUP list. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the Vikings' Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions last year. According to Adam Schefter, Hockenson is expected to return this season.

In the meantime, the Vikings will be without their two-time Pro Bowl tight end for the first month of the season. They already lost quarterback Kirk Cousins to free agency and then his replacement, rookie JJ McCarthy, to a season ending injury during training camp. Sam Darnold will be the starter by default.

Minnesota is leaving TE T.J. Hockenson on the Physically Unable to Perform List, which means he is ineligible to be active during the first four games of the season, per sources. Hockenson still is recovering from last season’s torn ACL but is expected to return this season. pic.twitter.com/yic1seDyka

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2024

Starting wide receiver Jordan Addison is also dealing with an ankle injury that has him in danger of missing the season opener. With all those issues, expect Justin Jefferson, who already averages 144 targets a season, to have a heavy workload.

Hockenson played the first three and a half seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions before he was traded to the Vikings during the 2022 season. In 2023 he caught 95 passes for 960 yards and five touchdowns. In his one postseason appearance he caught 10 passes for 129 yards in the Vikings' wild card loss to the New York Giants.

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