Extent of Sam Darnold’s knee injury revealed

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Extent of Vikings QB Sam Darnold’s knee injury revealed

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Sep 23, 2024 3:10 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings were given a scare on Sunday when Sam Darnold suffered a knee injury, but fortunately, the quarterback is not dealing with anything serious.

Darnold was hit low by defensive end Danielle Hunter during the third quarter of the Vikings’ 34-7 win over the Houston Texans in Minneapolis. The quarterback got up under his own power but appeared in pain.

Darnold briefly left the game, but fans were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief when he returned later in the drive.

On Monday, the Vikings announced that Darnold underwent a precautionary MRI that revealed no structural damage. He has officially been diagnosed with a knee bruise.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell later told reporters that Darnold is “a little sore” but should have a fairly normal week of preparation ahead of next Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Coach O’Connell gives update on Darnold pic.twitter.com/FJbF98QN18

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 23, 2024

Given how the injury looked initially, that is excellent news for Darnold and the Vikings.

Darnold has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL thus far in 2024. He has completed 67.9% of his passes across three games for 657 yards and eight touchdowns, which leads the league.

Minnesota is 3-0 and appears to be a legitimate playoff contender, so losing Darnold would have been a significant blow to their chances.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: