Vikings QB Sam Darnold has no structural damage to his knee

EAGAN, Minnesota – The Minnesota Vikings breathed a sigh of relief Monday when they learned that quarterback Sam Darnold’s left knee is not seriously injured.

Tests showed a bruise but no structural damage, coach Kevin O'Connell said, and Darnold is not expected to miss much or any time as he prepares for his team's Week 4 game at the Green Bay Packers.

“It hurts a little bit,” O'Connell said, “but I hope Sam can have a normal week of preparation during this time.”

Darnold has been one of the biggest surprises of the NFL season, throwing a league-high eight touchdown passes and leading the Vikings to a 3-0 start. Playing for the fourth team of his seven-year career, Darnold ranks fifth in the NFL in total QBR (73.1).

The injury occurred with 3 minutes and 50 seconds left in the third quarter of Sunday's 34-7 win over the Houston Texans. As Darnold dropped back for a second-down pass, he was hit flat by Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter and fell awkwardly to the ground. Hunter was penalized 15 yards for the flat hit on the quarterback.

Darnold initially stood up after the hit, but then began to limp and sat down on the U.S. Bank Stadium turf so doctors could examine him. He walked to the Vikings' medical tent and backup Nick Mullens took over for one play before Darnold grabbed his helmet and jogged back onto the field.

His return sparked a loud roar from the Vikings' home crowd, a moment that, as Darnold said afterward, “meant everything to me.”

After the game, however, both Darnold and O'Connell cautioned against assuming he didn't suffer an injury at all. Monday's upcoming tests brought back memories of 2023 starter Kirk Cousins' season-ending Achilles tear and rookie JJ McCarthy's season-ending meniscus tear in August.

O'Connell, meanwhile, said he has no concerns about the jammed finger on receiver Justin Jefferson's right hand. Jefferson sustained the injury on his sixth and final catch late in the second quarter on Sunday. X-rays showed no fracture, but the Vikings only targeted Jefferson twice after that and he failed to catch any of those passes. ESPN Research identified one of the two as a drop.

O'Connell said he believes the other missed catch was due to an overcorrection by Darnold based on feedback from a practice manager.