The Minnesota Vikings entered their Christmas Day game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis against the Detroit Lions already without their starting quarterback and his backup. Rookie Max Brosmer got the start and was looking to get help from running back Aaron Jones Sr.
Jones scored the Vikings’ lone touchdown as Minnesota and Detroit were tied at 7-7 at halftime. But the veteran running back went down in a heap after being tackled. Now, it’s unclear whether he will return or not.
What’s Happened To Vikings RB Aaron Jones Sr.?
Jones was down on the turf, and Vikings medical personnel came to check on him, but Jones then headed to the Vikings’ blue tent to get checked out.
According to a report posted on X, Jones is being evaluated for a leg injury.
Status alert: Aaron Jones (leg) headed to medical tent Thursday.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) December 25, 2025
Jones, though, returned in the second half for Minnesota. So far in Thursday’s game, he has 11 carries for 38 yards and one touchdown, and Vikings fans are probably exhaling after seeing their running back return to the field.
The Vikings came into this game already down Jordan Mason, which set Jones up for a pretty significant workload. He looked good when the Vikings actually were able to move the ball, but he is probably not going to come back. That leaves the backfield to Zavier Scott and fullback C.J. Ham.
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This is a completely decimated offense, starting a rookie UDFA and down to its RB3. If you started Jones in the fantasy championship, this is a really unfortunate circumstance. Jones is now the third fantasy-relevant player to not make it through the first half in what has been a truly miserable start to finals week.
According to the PFSN NFL RB Impact metrics, Jones has an impact score of 76.2 and grades out to a C. Going into the Thursday afternoon game in Minneapolis, Jones had 114 carries for 495 yards and one rushing touchdown. Well, Jones added to that TD output with his first-half score.
As a receiving option in the Vikings’ offense, Jones has 25 catches for 189 yards and one touchdown. Jones’ return in the second half is good news for the Vikings’ offense. Brosmer needs all the help he can get while hoping to lead Minnesota to what might be considered an upset in front of the home crowd.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
