The Minnesota Vikings Lose Star Prior To Green Bay Packers Matchup.
The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers face off in a pivotal Week 17 matchup. Both sitting at 7-8, the loser will likely be eliminated from playoff contention. The Packers are coming off a close win over the Carolina Panthers while the Minnesota Vikings are coming off a brutal loss to the Detroit Lions.
News surfaced today that a pro-bowl starter for the Vikings will not only miss the Packers matchup, but will be out for the rest of the season.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports that head coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday that Hockenson will need season-ending surgery after tearing his right ACL and MCL in Sunday’s loss to the Lions.
In the coming days, Hockenson is expected to be placed on injured reserve, while Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt are likely to fill most of the tight end snaps. Due to the timing of the ACL tear, Hockenson may face an uphill battle to gain clearance for Week 1 in 2024 given the timing of the injury as well as the fact that he’ll also need surgery for an MCL tear.
During his first full season in Minnesota, Hockenson had career highs in catches (95), receiving yards (960), and targets (127) in addition to scoring five touchdowns. With there being quarterback controversy in Minnesota, losing one of your star weapons before the biggest matchup of the season is brutal.
The Packers will look to take advantage of an offense who will be without their pro-bowl tight end.
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