The Minnesota Vikings lost Justin Jefferson to an ankle issue early in the team’s victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, but unfortunately the injuries did not stop there.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN reported late in the fourth quarter that starter Josh Oliver, who catches some passes for the offense but is also the team’s best blocking tight end and thus crucially important to the run game, left the field with a problem of his own.
Aaron Jones jogged off the field after that first down.
“Vikings TE Josh Oliver (arm) is OUT,” Seifert reported via X on Sunday, September 27. “Aaron Jones jogged off the field after that first down.”
Oliver had three catches for 46 yards (15.3 yards per catch) on five targets heading into the game against the Bucs. However, he did not get a target from returning starter Kyler Murray who missed Week 2 and most of Week 1 after sustaining a concussion.
Jones had 17 carries for 58 yards on the afternoon, as well as five catches for 34 yards. It was unclear if he suffered an injury and/or if it was serious.
Justin Jefferson Left Game With Ankle Injury, Did Not Return
Jefferson hurt his ankle during the opening half, which forced him to exit the game.
It looked for some time as if the wideout might be able to return to action. However, he visited the blue tent on the sideline for an examination, after which Jefferson emerged and tried to run and jump up and down on the sideline.
He eventually went back to the locker room for further tests. And then, by around the mid-point of the third quarter, Seifert reported that the team ruled Jefferson out for the game.
“Justin Jefferson (ankle) is now OUT,” Seifert wrote on X.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell Does Not Believe Justin Jefferson Suffered Severe Ankle Injury
Head coach Kevin O’Connell updated Jefferson’s injury status during his postgame press conference.
“He kept trying to work through it, got close a couple of times, ended up being ruled out. We’ll evaluate him more (Monday),” O’Connell said, adding that he does not expect Jefferson suffered a serious injury. “I just know that he was pretty close to coming back in, just couldn’t get there.”
O’Connell added that the way Jefferson plays, and the way defenses work against him, it is even more crucial that he is as close to 100 percent as possible.
“He’s such an explosive player, and the way he gets defended, he needs to be able to have those getting off the line, press — all those things,” O’Connell continued. “He just couldn’t quite get there. I know he was trying like crazy, and it was killing him not to get back out there.”
Vikings Lose 2nd Pass-Catcher After Justin Jefferson Injury