The Minnesota Vikings officially shut down Pro Bowl left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the remainder of the 2025 season, placing him on injured reserve Friday, December 19, as the team manages the lingering effects of a serious knee injury suffered over 14 months ago.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell emphasized that Darrisaw has not experienced a new setback, calling the move a “collaborative decision” focused on the 26-year-old’s long-term health with the Vikings already eliminated from playoff contention.
“This was the best decision for Christian in the short term,” O’Connell said, “but at the same time, I think a lot of this can be a projection on a really positive outlook for 2026.” He added it’s his “personal belief” that Darrisaw will return to a full, normal workload next season.
Darrisaw tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee on October 24, 2024, during a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams. Despite signing a lucrative four-year, $113 million extension in July 2024, the injury derailed his 2025 campaign.
The All-Pro caliber tackle avoided starting the year on the PUP list and was active for training camp, but he missed the first two games and later admitted medical staff had projected a full 12-month recovery timeline. Even after reaching that milestone, Darrisaw remained limited, starting 10 games but exiting five early—twice self-removing due to discomfort (Week 5 vs. Cleveland Browns and Week 8 vs. Los Angeles Chargers) and three times pulled by coaches for workload management.
The Vikings also routinely held him out of at least one practice day per week for extra recovery. On Thursday, Darrisaw declined to discuss his season or availability for Minnesota’s final three games, saying there are “a lot of layers to it.”
O’Connell described the year as “really unique” for Darrisaw, noting: “As coaches… we’re just trying to defer to the medical staff and most importantly, making sure Christian’s in a good place… I think he’ll be able to really grow from [it].”
With the Vikings (7-8) out of postseason contention, the decision prioritizes Darrisaw’s recovery ahead of a critical 2026 season for the franchise cornerstone. Minnesota closes out the year with games against the Packers, Lions, and Bears.
