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Kevin Seifert
EAGAN, Minn. — Quarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings is once again grappling with an injury.
The quarterback was limited during Wednesday’s practice due to a bruised hand he incurred in the third quarter of the team’s 27-19 defeat against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday.
Both McCarthy and head coach Kevin O’Connell played down the injury’s effect on his readiness for the upcoming matchup with the Chicago Bears, but it was evident on Wednesday that he was not fully recovered.
Wearing protective padding on his hand, which O’Connell indicated was necessary to guard against further swelling, McCarthy refrained from throwing any right-handed passes during the media-opening practice session, although he jokingly delivered a few with his left hand.
After hitting the helmet of left guard Donovan Jackson while trying to connect with Justin Jefferson in the end zone, McCarthy’s off-target throw rate soared to 40% in the fourth quarter, completing just 6 of 16 passes, as reported by ESPN Research.
«If your hand gets caught in a car door, it’s going to affect everything you do with that hand,» he stated. «There are no excuses. We’re warriors, and we must persist.»
McCarthy has previously missed 23 of his initial 25 NFL games due to injuries affecting his right knee and ankle. He made his return from the ankle injury in Week 9 and has started just four of the Vikings’ nine contests this season.
While there is currently no indication that he will miss Sunday’s game, the Vikings emphasize McCarthy’s practice reps as they strive to mold him into their long-term starter. He did miss a practice on September 11 to attend the birth of his son, Rome, leading O’Connell to remark several times on how that absence may have influenced his performance in a loss against the Atlanta Falcons on September 14.
