Vikings' Aaron Jones should be OK despite injury scare vs. Jaguars

Jones was able to return to the game after taking a shot to the ribs on Sunday.

Nov 10, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr (33) runs the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. / Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Vikings running back Aaron Jones took a helmet to the ribs and was in some pain in the third quarter of Sunday's win over the Jaguars. He stayed down for a bit and then went to the blue medical tent on the sideline. Jones looked ready to come back in the game after that, but then the FOX broadcast showed him being carted off the field.

As it turned out, he was just being taken for X-rays.

"The only reason I got carted off was because the X-Ray machine was on the whole other side of the stadium," Jones told Kay Adams on Monday. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have gotten carted off."

After X-rays showed no damage, he was able to return and handle four carries in the final minutes of the Vikings' victory. Jones finished the game with 101 yards from scrimmage on 19 touches.

"The initial hit, I thought it cracked something," he said, via the Star Tribune. "But I’m good."

"Tough player," Kevin O'Connell said. "He was able to kinda get his wind back, it was one of those things, and once he was able to go, he was itching to get back in there."

It sounds like Jones should be fine for next Sunday's game against the Titans. That's good news for the Vikings, considering how impressive the former Packers running back has been in his first season with Minnesota. Jones is up to 911 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in nine games, putting him on pace for a career-high in yardage if he's able to stay healthy for the final eight weeks.

"Little sore, but mentality is everything," Jones said after the game. "I feel strong. I feel like a lot of people would've checked out, but it's about these guys in this locker room. That's why I went back out there."