J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending Vikings injury a ‘kick in the balls’

J.J. McCarthy won’t be out there for the Vikings in Week 1 against the Giants, and he’s still feeling the pain of not being with his teammates.

“It’s tough. A kick in the balls,” McCarthy told reporters on Friday at the TCO Performance Center, speaking for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury on Aug. 10 against the Raiders. “But you take everything life throws at you and look at the positive.”

The rookie connected on 11 of 17 of his passing attempts in his lone preseason action, racking up 188 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception, adding two rushes for 18 yards.

He’s still not sure of when during that game he was injured.

“The adrenaline was flowing so much throughout that 60 minutes,” he said, “I didn’t really feel it til the day when my knee started to buckle going down the stairs.”

McCarthy underwent a complete meniscus repair on Aug. 14 and will miss his entire rookie campaign while ex-Jet signal caller and first-round pick Sam Darnold takes the reigns of the offense.

Darnold is on a one-year contract and had been expected to be a bridge quarterback to McCarthy, who would have likely taken over for Minnesota later in the season.

Thanks to the injury, Darnold has the opportunity to resurrect his career as a full-time starter, taking over for the departed Kirk Cousins.

McCarthy had a solid season for the talented Michigan Wolverines in 2023, where he won the National Championship.

McCarthy did have the benefit of the best defense in the country, which held opposing offenses to just 10.4 points per game, by far the best among Division I college football teams.

He threw for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Minnesota is also without star tight end TJ Hockenson for the beginning of the season.

The Vikings placed him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, which means he will be out for the first six weeks of the regular season.