J.J. McCarthy sustains 3rd injury this season (0:54)
Kevin Seifert discusses J.J. McCarthy’s newest injury and questions if the QB needs to change his playing style. (0:54)
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ESPN
Dec 23, 2025, 02:20 PM ET
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a hairline fracture in his right hand and will be sidelined for Thursday’s Christmas Day game against the Detroit Lions, coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday.
McCarthy’s status for Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers is to be determined, according to O’Connell.
Max Brosmer will start in place of McCarthy, who did not play in the second half of Sunday’s 16-13 victory over the New York Giants because of the injury. O’Connell said he did not know exactly when it happened and did not think that McCarthy did, either. Video review showed that McCarthy hit his right hand on the helmet of Giants defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris in the second quarter.
McCarthy was wearing a latex glove on the hand in the postgame locker room.
This will be the seventh game McCarthy has missed this season, with a third different injury. A right high ankle sprain cost him five games earlier this season and he sat out a sixth while in concussion protocol. He missed his rookie season in 2024 because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Information from ESPN’s Kevin Seifert was included in this report.
