After an exciting preseason debut, J.J. McCarthy's rookie campaign has hit a bump in the road.
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, head coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday. There was no timeline provided for McCarthy to recover, and ESPN's Adam Schefter said it will depend on how extensive the surgery is.
That puts veteran Sam Darnold in line to begin the season as the team's starting quarterback.
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The 27-year-old journeyman, on his third team in as many years, was the presumptive starter entering training camp and had done nothing to lose his grasp on the job -- but McCarthy's injury likely seals his position.
McCarthy, who was drafted 10th overall after leading Michigan to the national championship, went 11 of 17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in Minnesota's preseason opener last week. Darnold started and played just one drive, going 4 of 8 for 59 yards.