Vikings Breathe a Sigh of Relief on McCarthy’s Hand, But Christmas Day Status Still Uncertain
The Minnesota Vikings may have dodged a major bullet with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but his availability for their Christmas Day clash with Detroit is still very much up in the air.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell gave the first update following the Vikings’ gritty 16-13 win over the New York Giants, and the news was cautiously optimistic. X-rays on McCarthy’s throwing hand came back negative - a huge relief for a team still fighting for playoff positioning. But beyond that, clarity remains elusive.
“Apparently it happened before his touchdown run,” O’Connell told reporters after the game. “I asked him if he was alright and he said he was.
Then, when he went out for the next drive, that’s when he seemed to have some discomfort there. So we’ll evaluate it and make sure we find out what’s going on.”
That touchdown run - a key moment late in the second quarter - gave Minnesota a 13-3 lead. But the momentum shifted quickly.
After the defense forced a three-and-out, McCarthy returned to the field and took a punishing hit from Giants edge rusher Brian Burns on what looked like a designed screen. The ball popped loose, and Giants safety Tyler Nubin scooped it up and took it to the house.
Just like that, it was 13-10 heading into halftime.
McCarthy didn’t return after that play. Instead, it was Max Brosmer stepping in under center for the entire second half. The Vikings leaned on their defense and just enough offense to hold off the Giants and secure the win.
Before the injury, McCarthy was showing flashes of the poise and arm talent that made him a first-round pick. He completed 9 of 14 passes for 108 yards and an interception - though that pick was hardly on him.
Jalen Nailor couldn’t secure a catchable ball, and it deflected into the hands of a Giants defender. Earlier in the game, McCarthy dropped a dime to Jordan Addison that should’ve been a 25-yard touchdown, but that one hit the turf too.
The box score doesn’t tell the full story - the rookie was dealing, and his stat line would’ve looked a lot better if not for a couple of key drops.
The big takeaway here? No broken bones.
That’s massive. With just two games left in the regular season, a fracture would’ve likely ended McCarthy’s rookie campaign right then and there.
Instead, there’s still hope he could be back sooner than later - but it’s too early to say whether he’ll suit up against the Lions on December 25.
The short week doesn’t help. With the Christmas Day game falling on a Thursday, both the Vikings and Lions will release their first injury reports on Monday. That’ll be the first real indicator of where things stand with McCarthy’s hand and whether he’s trending toward playing or watching from the sideline.
For now, the Vikings will hold their breath - and hope their young quarterback’s hand heals fast enough to keep their season on track.