The Minnesota Vikings are off to a 2-0 start in 2024, but things haven’t been perfect.
The injury bug has bitten several Minnesota stars, with Justin Jefferson being the most notable of late.
Fellow receiver Jordan Addison and another first-round pick are also among those dealing with injuries. Here’s the latest on Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Dallas Turner.
Vikings’ Stars Justin Jefferson, Dallas Turner ‘Day-to-Day’
The Vikings won for a consecutive week this past Sunday. And for a consecutive Sunday, they saw a starting receiver leave the game in the third quarter.
Last week, it was Addison who left. It was an ankle injury that caused the second-year standout to depart.
This week, it was the superstar Jefferson who was banged up in the third quarter. San Francisco 49ers star edge rusher Nick Bosa was injured on the same play.
While Addison’s ankle injury kept him from playing the following week, it seems Jefferson’s ailment, a thigh contusion, will be a short-term issue for the team.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell provided an update from the team’s facility during his standard day-after press conference, noting that rookie first-round pick Dallas Turner’s (knee) outlook is also positive.
Kevin O’Connell said Justin Jefferson came in “feeling pretty good” on Monday after his quad contusion on Sunday. He’s considered day-to-day, but O’Connell sounded optimistic about his chances for the Texans game.
Dallas Turner is also day-to-day after his injury on Sunday.
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) September 16, 2024
While there will be guarded optimism that both Jefferson and Turner will be back on the field for next Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans, there seems to be less optimism about Addison.
“He’s consistently been pushing through that process,” O’Connell said. “He didn’t quite get to a place last week where he could try to go out and even work from a limited perspective. We’ll see if we can maybe get him involved in the week as we push forward. But very much questionable.
“Hoping to have him but also want to make sure we’re smart with him knowing it’s a long season.”
On late Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert asked Justin Jefferson if he was playing on Sunday against the Texans. His answer was, “Yeah, for sure.”
Jefferson reportedly went on to say that his quad feels “great” after receiving treatment from the training staff each day.
Sam Darnold Took Control Against 49ers Despite Addison, Jefferson’s Absences
The dominant storyline during the Vikings’ two-game winning streak to begin the season is the play of Sam Darnold, who was poised to win the team’s starting job during training camp even before the season-ending injury to first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
Through two games, Darnold has completed 72% of his passes for 476 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Darnold is a former first-round pick, although his time with the New York Jets and then the Carolina Panthers was much maligned due to his own performance and substandard play around him. After spending a year in San Francisco, the Vikings gave Darnold another chance, inking him to a $10 million contract this offseason.
Darnold’s fast start is particularly notable because he’s done it with a limited supporting cast. His starting tight end, T.J. Hockenson, began the season on short-term injured reserve. Meanwhile, both Addison and Jefferson have missed time so far.
In the face of that adversity, Darnold has kept his cool and that has been key to the Vikings’ 2-0 start.
The most impressive moment of this two-game run for Darnold undoubtedly happened in the fourth quarter this past Sunday. He led the offense on a 14-play, 62-yard drive that consumed half of the final period and resulted in a field goal that staked the Vikings to a two-score lead. Darnold did that without Addison, Jefferson, or Hockenson at his side.
The emotion of it all was not lost on Darnold’s head coach, a former quarterback who understands the pressure that comes with playing the position.
This was the moment where Kevin O’Connell seemed to get a little emotional talking about Sam Darnold’s performance today pic.twitter.com/tTj4kGfVjo
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) September 15, 2024
“Playing against his former team,” O’Connell said after the game, “just the amount of work that goes into that position, on your quarterback journey when everybody decides that you cannot play. We always believed in him, and it felt awesome to watch him go do that thing. I’m really proud of Sam Darnold.”