Minnesota Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill suffered a leg injury in Week 17 and it has now resulted in the team placing him on injured reserve, ending his season.
Near the end of the first quarter of the Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill went down with a calf injury. It was a non-contact injury sustained by O’Neill, as it occurred when he was trying to chase down Packers safety Darnell Savage, who was in the middle of returning an interception for a touchdown.
#Vikings RT Brian O'Neill's injury occured on the Darnell Savage pick six. Hustling like crazy to try and get the tackle and he pulls up. pic.twitter.com/KDn2PuRJ9g
— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) January 2, 2023
Following the play, O’Neill was unable to walk off the field without the help of trainers, and he was taken into the locker room on a cart. He did not return to the contest once he was brought inside the locker room.
On Monday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that O’Neill’s injury is “pretty significant,” and then on Tuesday, the team placed the veteran right tackle on injured reserve, ending his season.
Minnesota Vikings “hope” to have Garrett Bradbury back for the playoffs
In addition to O’Neill going down with an injury against Green Bay, Minnesota backup center Austin Schlottmann also left the contest early due to an injury. It was later revealed that Schlottmann suffered a fractured fibula during the loss, and his season, like O’Neill’s, is over.
Schlottmann had been filling in for starting center Garrett Bradbury, who has been sidelined for the last few weeks with a back injury.
Bradbury probably won’t play against the Bears next Sunday, but O’Connell said on Monday that “there is hope” that Minnesota will have their starting center back on the field by the time the playoffs begin.
The Vikings head coach also stated that they need to get Bradbury back on the practice field first before they think about putting him in a game again. So if the veteran blocker is able to practice this week, it should still be viewed as a positive sign even if he doesn’t play next Sunday against Chicago.