Vikings confirm T.J. Hockenson will return against Lions or Rams

A return against the Lions or Rams would be about 10 months removed from his torn ACL.

Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) celebrates his touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

T.J. Hockenson's return is coming either against the Lions in Week 7 or when the Vikings play the Rams on Thursday night in Week 8. The confirmation came Wednesday from Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell, who announced Hockenson's 21-day practice window will be opened on Friday.

"We will be opening T.J.'s window on Friday. Want to get his window opened up and get him going here," O'Connell said, noting that guard Dalton Risner remains on injured reserve with a back injury and that an update on him won't be available until after Minnesota's Week 6 bye.

Hockenson will be in London and practicing with the Vikings later this week. He won't play against the Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, but his window being open will run through the bye in Week 6 and the Lions game on Oct. 20 will mark 17 days, leaving four more days before the Vikings have to activate him. Those four additional days bring the Vikings to Oct. 24, which is the day they will visit the Rams for Thursday Night Football.

"Friday gives us 21 days. Twenty-one days from then gives us the bye week and two football games with us playing Thursday the second week after the bye. That gives us some flexibility," O'Connell explained.

"We've got to get him acclimated, back to football," the coach added. "It's just going to be great to have him back on the grass with the guys."

Hockenson has spent the past 281 days (as of Wednesday) working his way back from a torn ACL suffered on Christmas Eve when Lions safety Kerby Joseph hit Hockenson in the knee. A return Oct. 20 against Detroit would mark just shy of 10 months since the injury.