Reports: Vikings QB Sam Darnold (knee) to bear MRI examination

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is slated to undergo an MRI exam on his left knee on Monday, multiple media outlets reported Sunday.

Darnold took a low hit from Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter, a former Vikings star, in the third quarter and missed just one play before returning.

After the 34-7 victory, Darnold attempted to downplay the situation but did reveal there would be more information about the injury on Monday.

“Getting hit low there, we will evaluate it,” Darnold said during his postgame news conference. “We’ll look at it but it felt good enough to go back in the game.”

Asked how the knee was feeling after the contest, Darnold was brief: “It feels good. Like I said, we’re going to look at it tomorrow.”

Darnold was then asked if he might be in jeopardy of missing practice or be hindered in a game.

“I’m not sure,” Darnold said. “I’m not going to speak on specifics like that. Evaluating it tomorrow, I feel like we will have more information on it tomorrow.”

Darnold emphasized that there was nothing dirty about Hunter’s hit.

Darnold passed for 181 yards and four touchdowns against the Texans as Minnesota (3-0) continued its hot start. In three games, he has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets. He started 38 games for the Jets over three seasons before bouncing around to the Carolina Panthers (2021-22) and San Francisco 49ers (2023) before joining the Vikings in March.

During the preseason, Minnesota lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the season. The injury to the first-round draft choice assured that Darnold would open the season as the Vikings’ starting quarterback.

Nick Mullens is Minnesota’s backup quarterback and Brett Rypien is No. 3 on the depth chart.

–Field Level Media