Minnesota Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill is facing a significant challenge after sustaining a knee injury during the team’s 24–21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin on Sunday. Head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that O’Neill has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL.
The injury occurred in the first quarter following a field goal attempt. O’Neill was helped off the field and later underwent an MRI, which revealed the MCL sprain. The severity of the injury will determine his recovery timeline. If it’s a mild sprain, he could return after the Vikings’ Week 5 bye. However, a more severe sprain could extend his absence beyond that.
“He avoided the serious-nature knee injuries that, when you first go out there as a head coach and you see him down like that, you’re glad you can rule out a lot of those other things,” O’Connell said. “I would consider him week-to-week, and with where our bye is, I don’t necessarily see short-term IR (Injured Reserve) as being a necessity at this point, just because, with the rules of that not counting toward that time frame.
With O’Neill sidelined, swing tackle Justin Skule stepped in at right tackle during the game. The Vikings are now preparing for their next matchup against the Cleveland Browns in London on October 5. The team will need to evaluate Skule’s performance and may consider additional adjustments to the offensive line to maintain protection for quarterback Carson Wentz.
“What this allows him to do is he can be totally, 100% committed to his rehab here, because he’s doing his rehab where he sleeps,” O’Connell added. “It’s as simple as walking down the hall to go to [Vice President of Player Health and Performance] Tyler [Williams] in the group’s [rehab] room, and then, during the bye week, we’ll get him wherever we can, and then we’ll see where he’s at coming out of the bye.”
This injury adds to the Vikings’ ongoing challenges with their offensive line. Center Ryan Kelly is also in the NFL concussion protocol for the second time this season, having previously suffered a concussion in Week 2. With key players unavailable, the Vikings will need to rely on depth and adaptability to navigate the upcoming games.
As the team heads into international play, the status of O’Neill and Kelly will be crucial in determining the Vikings’ offensive line strategy and overall performance in the coming weeks.
