Vikings Rookie QB J.J. McCarthy Out for Season with Knee Injury

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00:03Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a torn meniscus that needs a full repair in surgery.

00:09His rookie campaign short-lived.

00:11He is out for 2024.

00:14Cap, as you have talked to people around the NFL,

00:17what has the reaction been inside the Vikings franchise to this news?

00:22Yeah, it's devastating because, Ben, most people don't know this.

00:26McCarthy was really good in last week's preseason game at home against the Raiders.

00:32He threw under duress, a lot of traffic around him, made great throws,

00:36showed that his mechanics were much improved.

00:39Now, unfortunately, his season is cut short.

00:42They didn't know when you go into repair a meniscus, there are two ways to do it.

00:48You've got the trim that would have put him back in about four weeks,

00:51or you've got the full-blown repair, which is a four- to five-month rehab,

00:54and obviously he won't be able to come back.

00:56And that just hurts his progress.

00:59All he can do is rehab.

01:00He can't practice.

01:01He's not allowed to.

01:02He hasn't put on IR yet, but he will.

01:04And you can't practice.

01:05You can go to meetings.

01:06You can be on the practice field and watch practice and take what we call mental reps.

01:10So it's a very tough deal.

01:12And Sam Darnold, who somehow is only 27 years old, Ben,

01:15he'll be the starter for the rest of the season.

01:17Nick Mullins, a journeyman who's been on five teams, will back him up.

01:21By the way, every once in a while when Mullins gets to play, he does a good job.

01:25You might remember with the 49ers some years ago, he actually did a good job.

01:29But, yeah, this is devastating.

01:31Sam Darnold, talking to people around the league, Ben, Sam Darnold is a guy,

01:35if you need him to start three or four games, he gets you out of a tough spot.

01:38But there's a reason why he's on team number four.

01:41He's just not a full-time starting quarterback, but he's going to have to be.

01:45They have nowhere else to turn.

01:47But what one positive is, before we move on, he does know this West Coast scheme.

01:51He played in it last season with the 49ers.

01:54It's a very similar scheme that they're running with Kevin O'Connell,

01:57the head coach and the guy who calls the plays for the Vikings.

02:01And I'm told that's why he's there.

02:03So they're going to get a big look at him starting this week.