Vikings Fear $66 Million Pro Bowler Lost for Season

On Christmas Eve, the Minnesota Vikings suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Detroit Lions, but it wasn’t the biggest setback of the day.

Outside linebacker DJ Wonnum exited the field on a cart with a partially torn quad muscle, likely ending Minnesota’s season as its second-best edge defender. Undoubtedly the finest player in the NFL at his position, tight end TJ Hockenson, suffered a knee injury on Sunday. This might be even worse news.

In light of the fact that the team’s playoff aspirations are on the line over the final two weeks of the season, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN stated on Monday, December 25, that Minnesota is praying for the best but fears the worse about Hockenson’s knee.

“Initial outlook is ‘not good’ on #Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson’s knee injury, per source,” Fowler posted to X Monday. “Team hoping to be surprised by today’s MRI but bracing for damage. Hockenson put together another Pro Bowl-type season with 95 catches for 960 yards and five TDs.”

TJ Hockenson Made Good on Record Contract with Vikings in 2023

Hockenson made the Pro Bowl for the second time in 2022, just his fourth season in the NFL, on the strength of 86 catches for 914 yards and 6 touchdowns across 17 games played, per Pro Football Reference.

The tight end exceeded that number of catches and yards through 15 appearances this year. As of Monday, Hockenson leads the NFL in receiving yards by a tight end with 960 yards, according to StatMuse. However, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs can surpass him by gaining 37 yards in his team’s Christmas Day showdown with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Hockenson is also second in league in tight end catches with 95, trailing only Evan Engram of the Jacksonville Jaguars who has hauled in 98 grabs in 2023.