Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson out for season due to torn ACL, MCL
T.J. Hockenson went down in the third quarter of Sunday’s 30-24 loss to the Lions
T.J. Hockenson’s season is over.
The Minnesota Vikings tight end tore both his MCL and his ACL in his team's 30-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Tuesday.
"Knowing T.J., the type of player he is, I'm absolutely looking forward to when we can get him back rolling and ready to have a great 2024 season." pic.twitter.com/Hq0xhRCjY9
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 26, 2023
Hockenson went down in the third quarter of Sunday’s game at U.S. Bank Stadium. He caught a pass up the middle of the field but was tackled directly in his right knee. He stood up right away but was grabbing at his knee in pain before he left the field.
#TJHockenson
Takes hit to right knee/distal thigh
Thankfully foot not planted pic.twitter.com/4aHosdrWNN— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) December 24, 2023
He didn’t return, and the Vikings ruled him out soon after. Hockenson finished with 58 yards on four catches in the loss.
The former Iowa standout was in the middle of his best season in the NFL. Hockenson, who was drafted by the Lions before he was traded to Minnesota in the middle of last season, has a career-high 960 yards and five touchdowns this season. He has a career-high 95 catches, too, and was a staple in the Vikings’ offense while the team had to rotate through a number of quarterbacks after starter Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury.
The 26-year-old Hockenson signed a four-year, $68.5 million extension with the team earlier this fall. That deal made him the highest-paid tight end in the league.
It’s unclear how severe the ACL and MCL tears are or if Hockenson will be ready to start next season.
The Vikings also lost linebacker D.J. Wonnum to a torn left quad. They announced Tuesday that he will head to injured reserve.
The Vikings hold a 7-8 record going into their final two games of the regular season and are still in the mix for a playoff spot. They host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday before traveling to Detroit for a rematch with the Lions — who officially won their first divisional title since 1993 — on Jan. 7.
