Vikings’ $66M Star in Serious Trouble?!

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has confirmed the concerning news that star tight end T.J. Hockenson suffered a tear to multiple knee ligaments on December 26. Despite a month passing since the injury, there have been no official updates, raising external worries.

Vikings insider Darren “Doogie” Wolfson shared on “Mackey & Judd” on January 25, “Here’s some doom-and-gloom, something to think about: I checked this week on T.J. Hockenson. I texted one person who said when I asked, ‘Hey, did he undergo surgery yet?’ … This one person said, ‘Not to my knowledge.’ When it’s multiple ligaments, it wasn’t going to be immediate. So it was always going to be mid-to-late January. But as we sit here on January 25th, I guess me personally, I’m still awaiting word that he’s undergone said surgery.”

Hockenson sustained the injury during the Vikings’ Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions due to a hit from safety Kerby Joseph. Although Coach Kevin O’Connell expressed optimism about Hockenson’s recovery, stating, “Unfortunately for T.J., he’s you know going to be on the road to recovery, and I know he’ll attack that with all the resources we have in this building,” concerns persist.

The tight end, who achieved career highs in receptions and receiving yards this season, fell just one touchdown short of tying his previous high mark. Starting a four-year, $66 million contract in the upcoming season, there are apprehensions about how Hockenson will perform in the aftermath of his recovery. Host Judd Zulgad voiced concerns, questioning how long the ramp-up period would be for Hockenson to regain his form.

Both Wolfson and Zulgad expressed skepticism about Hockenson being ready for Week 1, citing the exceptional case of Adrian Peterson, who recovered from a torn ACL and MCL in under 10 months. However, they emphasized that Peterson’s recovery was an outlier, not the norm.

While Hockenson is the same age as Peterson was during his injury, distinctions were drawn between the two situations. The primary goal for the Vikings is now a comprehensive and expeditious recovery for Hockenson.

In the context of the playoffs, Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson expressed dissatisfaction with the Lions’ Wild Card victory celebration over the Los Angeles Rams. The celebration featured a sign incorporating Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s famous quote about biting kneecaps, alongside the logos of the Vikings and Rams. It serves as a reminder of the impact of the injury, as the Rams also lost tight end Tyler Higbee to a similar injury from a hit by Joseph.