Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy to undergo surgery on meniscus issue

McCarthy will have surgery to determine how much time he'll have to miss.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and head coach Kevin O'Connell react before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will undergo surgery on a meniscus tear in his right knee, Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Tuesday.

McCarthy didn't practice with the team on Monday night after reporting some "right knee soreness" and being held out for what were deemed precautionary reasons. After some testing, the Vikings determined that he has damage to his meniscus.

As with all meniscus issues, the determination will be made if a trim is needed or a full repair. If it's a trim, McCarthy might be out for 3-6 weeks or so. If it's a full repair, the timeline would be months and he'd potentially be out for the entire season. O'Connell doesn't yet know the exact timeline of when the surgery will take place.

The injury happened during Saturday's preseason opener against the Raiders, O'Connell said. Even after rewatching McCarthy's performance several times, he's not sure when it occurred. McCarthy never left the game until his scheduled reps were over.

The Vikings are headed to Cleveland ahead of a pair of joint practices with the Browns on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a preseason game between the two teams on Saturday. McCarthy obviously won't travel with the team on Tuesday.

The tenth overall pick out of Michigan in this year's draft, McCarthy has mostly worked with the Vikings-second team offense throughout training camp. He was impressive in his preseason debut, completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. Although Sam Darnold is the Vikings' current QB1, McCarthy is the future of the franchise.

For now, the Vikings will move forward with Darnold as their starter, Nick Mullens as his backup, and Jaren Hall as QB3.