For the last six weeks, even amid a host of other injuries, most of the talk about a Minnesota Vikings injury has centered around quarterback J.J. McCarthy. When would he play? Was he being "soft benched"? Should he have finished the game he injured his ankle in? Is the team being too easy on him?
After Thursday night's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, there's no doubt McCarthy will start in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. With that question hopefully in the rearview mirror, focus on some other injury issues can come into focus.
Despite some level of optimism during the offseason, it was always clear left tackle Christian Darrisaw would miss the first couple of games of the season as he finished his recovery from a torn left ACL and MCL in October of 2024. He made his debut in Week 3 and shut down Cincinnati Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Things seemed fine until Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns in London. Darrisaw was suddenly on the sideline for the fourth quarter, as the Vikings made a comeback.
It was revealed that Darrisaw was on a snap count for that game, after playing all 76 offensive snaps in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Kevin O'Connell clearly was not thrilled about not having his starting left tackle on the field at a critical stage of the Browns' game.
Since he returned to action, as part of his recovery plan, rest days during the practice week have been routine for Darrisaw. The short week before the game against the Chargers meant no normal practices for the Vikings, and then Darrisaw was listed as questionable on the final injury report due to a knee issue.
As ESPN's Kevin Seifert noted, Darrisaw could have been listed as "not-injured related/rest" if it were merely a rest day the day before the Chargers' game. Seifert also confirmed Darrisaw took himself out of the game against the Browns.
Handling of Minnesota Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw's injury should be called into question
Darrisaw went through an on-field workout before Thursday night's game, and he was active. He lasted nine snaps before leaving the game, and he did not return.
There is obviously a difference between a pre-game workout and the intensity of game reps in full uniform, but playing so few snaps was surely in the range of outcomes if Darrisaw dressed for the game.
After the game, O'Connell talked about Darrisaw.
"Christian Darrisaw tried to give it a go. I want to commend him for doing that on a short week coming off what’s been a trying time early on in the season after such a catastrophic significant knee injury a year ago. Just couldn’t continue to give it a go.”
O'Connell was then asked if something different surfaced with Darrisaw's knee the day before the game.
"No. Whether it was Dublin going into London, and the high snap count, or just the fact we have Christian on a plan of attack each week. Based on the idea of the type of injury he's coming back from, I'm not going to go into detail with what that injury was.
But I would just say there's a layer to Christian doing everything he can. But, when he has a higher snap count, or on a very short week of travel and everything, there's only so much we can do."
The public understanding has always been that Darrisaw suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, so there's no use hiding that. O'Connell seemed to hint there's more to the injury, which would help explain the rest days and being on some kind of snap count whenever it's deemed necessary.
If Darrisaw had lasted more than nine snaps against the Chargers, would he have otherwise been on a snap count due to the short week? We'll never know.
One thing is for sure. Darrisaw's injury situation has been weird, and no less an authority than one of the longest-tenured Vikings' reporters confirmed it.
O'Connell praised Darrisaw for being willing to give it a go. But in the end Darrisaw played (unofficially) 9 snaps. I guess all injuries are unique, but it's one of the oddest sagas I've witnessed.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 24, 2025
Right tackle Brian O'Neill being inactive on Thursday night may have pushed Darrisaw toward trying to play, and he ultimately just couldn't do it. That happens sometimes.
But after being on a random snap count a few weeks ago, and O'Connell now inviting speculation about a more serious issue (or a setback?), how Darrisaw's injury situation has been handled can and should be questioned on all levels.