Vikings TE Hockenson suffers concussion on game's 2nd play — SkimNews
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- T.J. Hockenson suffered a concussion just 38 seconds into Sunday's Vikings-Saints game at Caesars Superdome, his head slamming into the turf after catching a 7-yard pass on the second play; he lay on the ground for several minutes before jogging to the sideline and heading to the locker room for a concussion test
- Josh Oliver, Minnesota's backup tight end, is already out with a torn biceps, forcing the Vikings to finish Sunday's game with two call-ups — Gavin Bartholomew and Ben Yurosek, the latter just activated from injured reserve this weekend
- Both Bartholomew and Yurosek caught passes on the opening drive, per the source's reporting, giving the Vikings' offense its only available tight-end depth on the day
- Minnesota opened the game without three injured offensive starters: left tackle Christian Darrisaw (concussion), left guard Donovan Jackson (knee), and receiver Jordan Addison (hamstring)
- Running back Jordan Mason remains on injured reserve for at least one more week with a fractured thumb, further thinning the Vikings' offensive depth chart
- The injury marks the second concussion absorbed by a Vikings offensive starter this season — Darrisaw is sidelined by one — compounding an already brutal stretch for the Minnesota offense
Why it matters: The Vikings entered Sunday already missing three offensive starters and a starting running back on injured reserve; losing Hockenson — their top tight end and a primary target — on the second snap forced Minnesota to play out the game with two backups just activated from injured reserve or the practice squad, gutting an offense that was already operating on a razor-thin margin.
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