Second J.J. McCarthy surgery doesn’t impact anything except Vikings fans mental state

The plan for the Minnesota Vikings entering the 2024 season, at least from the outside looking in, was to have veteran Sam Darnold start the season as QB1 but to eventually make way for rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy at some point this season. That, of course, fell apart completely in the preseason. McCarthy suffered a fully torn meniscus in his right knee and underwent surgery that ended his rookie campaign before it officially began.

However, with Darnold on a one-year deal with Minnesota, the assumption has remained the McCarthy is the long-term option and likeliest option to start Week 1 at quarterback for the Vikings.

As such, it was a bit of an unwelcome shock to Vikings fans on Wednesday when it was announced that McCarthy had undergone a second surgery on the injured knee. According to ESPN Vikings insider Kevin Seifert, the procedure was to help with swelling that had developed in the knee but noting that there is no change in the timetable for the quarterback's recovery.

That's all good news, no doubt! Of course, telling a fanbase that the 10th overall pick and future at quarterback for the Vikings underwent a second surgery is still a bit alarming.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy undergoes second surgery on injured knee

If you're a Vikings fan, how could you not look at this and be a bit worried? The fact that McCarthy required a second surgery because dealing with the swelling in this manner seems to indicate that the recovery wasn't going as planned. It needed this recent procedure to help with that. That's not at all what you want to hear for a 21-year-old installed as a cornerstone for the franchise.

On some level, you do have to take Minnesota at their word when it comes to this. Maybe it won't change the recovery time. Maybe McCarthy returns next season and looks as good as new. That's all absolutely on the table and, in that case, any knee-jerk reaction here will appear foolish in hindsight.

Sometimes, however, logic doesn't prevail when it comes to fandom. And with Darnold expected to go elsewhere this offseason for far more money than he's making with the Vikings this season, the safety net that Minnesota had — which has helped lead them firmly into the playoff mix, it should be said — this season won't be there a year from now. So if there is actual cause for concern with this second knee surgery, the forward-thinking consequences could be a bit dire.

Again, it's possible this is truly nothing to worry about. And yet, if you're a Vikings fan worrying about it nonetheless, it's hard to blame you in the slightest. It's also hard to say that it won't stop affecting your mental state until you see McCarthy back on a football field.