Minnesota Vikings final injury report includes surprising starter out on Christmas Day vs. Detroit Lions

The final injury report for the Thursday afternoon Christmas Day game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions is out, and there are a few surprises.

Tuesday afternoon brought news that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy won't be starting the game due to a broken bone in his hand. He suffered the injury in the 16-13 win over the New York Giants, and missing this game will likely make things easier for the Lions to keep their playoff hopes alive.

The Vikings have four players ruled out and two more who are questionable.

Vikings Tuesday injury report

Observations

• Hockenson is the biggest surprise on the list. He wasn't listed as a participant in practice all week long, and will miss the game with a shoulder injury.
• McCarthy has a broken hand and won't start on Thursday afternoon, giving Max Brosmer the start.
• We have a new lower leg injury for O'Neill with a heel injury. He's had knee, ankle, and foot designations this season. O'Neill is trying to play on Thursday afternoon, and it's likely that he will.
• Both Jones and Mason injured their ankles on Sunday. While Jones returned, Mason didn't, and he won't play on Thursday, while Jones enters the game without a designation.

J.J. McCarthy's advanced stats

• 3rd in air yards
• 33rd in adjusted EPA/play
• 32nd in success rate
• 34th in completion percentage over expectation

Detroit Lions Tuesday injury report

Observations

• The Lions are going into the game very banged up, with 11 players questionable and two more out.
• The biggest one is Amon-Ra St. Brown. He finished the game on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a non-participant on Monday, but improved to limited on Tuesday and Wednesday. If he doesn't play, that could spell disaster for the Lions' offense.

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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.