The Week 2 encounter against the Atlanta Falcons was a particularly brutal game for the Minnesota Vikings. Not only did it give them a reality check about where the franchise stood, especially with its first-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but it was also a terrible night for the roster’s availability.
From Gabe Murphy, Ryan Kelly, and Justin Shulke to McCarthy himself, multiple players became question marks for their next game against the Cincinnati Bengals, at the very least. However, the injury to running back Aaron Jones Sr. was a huge blow, both in terms of what it means for Minnesota and the severity of his diagnosis.
What Is the Timeline for Aaron Jones Sr. To Return?
Things were looking tough for the Vikings in McCarthy’s second-ever start in the NFL. The offense had ground to a standstill, with the passing or rushing units not being able to break the game open.
Midway through the third quarter, things took a turn for the worse. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kevin Seifert of ESPN reported on X, “Aaron Jones has a hamstring injury and his return is questionable.”
After signing a two-year extension with Minnesota this offseason, Jones figured to be a big part of the game plan by head coach Kevin O’Connell. Even after a slow start in the first two games, it seemed inevitable that the veteran running back would explode with his usual consistency.
But the hamstring injury put a damper on an already terrible night for the Vikings. Now, here is an update from the organization, reported courtesy of Adam Schefter, that spells doom for the former Green Bay Packers superstar.
Taking to X, Schefter reported, “Source: Vikings placed RB Aaron Jones on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury. He’s now out a minimum of four weeks.” It’s unclear if his return will take place in Week 7 or if Jones will require a longer recovery process.
Source: Vikings placed RB Aaron Jones on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury. He’s now out a minimum of four weeks. pic.twitter.com/mxwal8uMSU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2025
But it has complicated matters for a team with playoff aspirations whose quarterback is still a work in progress and is dealing with an injury of his own.
In Jones’ absence, the Vikings might continue to put the ball in the hands of Jordan Mason, who has been the cowbell running back through the first two weeks of the season. But an immediate free agent signing of Cam Akers suggests that O’Connell would like to maintain the diversity of his ground game moving forward, even without Jones in the lineup.
