Sam Darnold's injury scare appears to be nothing more than just that.
An MRI on the Minnesota Vikings quarterback's affected knee revealed a bruise, but no structural damage, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Monday. Darnold is not expected to miss time, Pelissero added.
"Really good news. Positive news," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said of Darnold on Monday. "Extensive evaluations this morning, really just revealing a knee bruise in there. A little sore. But hoping Sam can have a normal week of preparation as we go through it."
Darnold has started the 2024 season on fire, completing 53 of 78 passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Most importantly, he's looked composed, confident and delivered performances that have helped the Vikings race out to a 3-0 record.
He exited Sunday's blowout win over the Houston Texans for one play due to the knee injury, but returned to finish the game, an encouraging sign that matched Monday's news. Minnesota's trajectory, while certainly not built solely on Darnold's performance thus far, will depend on his availability. It appears that won't be threatened as the Vikings prepare for a showdown with the division-rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sept. 29 .
