Vikings’ Aaron Jones Week-to-Week with Hip Injury; Status for Week 7 vs. Lions TBD

Julia StumbaughOctober 8, 2024

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is week-to-week with a hip injury, head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Tuesday.

The Vikings have a Week 6 bye. It is not yet clear if Jones will be available on Oct. 20 for a Week 7 contest against the Detroit Lions, although O’Connell expressed optimism that Jones will be able to stay off Injured Reserve.

“Aaron Jones continues to be evaluated,” O’Connell said during Tuesday’s video conference. “All the early information that we’ve got so far, it looks like we’ve avoided a long-term injury. I would classify him as really week-to-week at this point.

“He’ll get treatment throughout this week, and I’ll give you guys an update where he’s at next week as we kind of hopefully work him back in to getting involved in practice and leading into whether we’ll have him versus the Lions.”

Minnesota Vikings @VikingsCoach O’Connell gives an injury update pic.twitter.com/bpQbbOtA5S

Jones left in the first quarter of Sunday’s Week 5 game against the New York Jets in London. He had recorded seven carries for 29 yards, and one catch for 24 yards, before his early exit.

The catch came after backup quarterback Nick Mullens stepped in for starter Sam Darnold, who was briefly sidelined with his own injury.

It was not clear when Jones suffered the injury, although Mullens’ 24-yard throw came up slightly short and necessitated the running back leaping up to catch it. After the catch, he was replaced by backup Ty Chandler.

Jones signed a one-year deal with the Vikings after he was released by the Green Bay Packers last March. So far the running back has recorded 71 carries for a team-high 350 rushing yards and a touchdown through five games, adding 17 catches for 167 receiving yards and another score.

If Jones is unable to play against the Lions, the Vikings could turn to Chandler and Myles Gaskin, although both were unable to get much going following Jones’ exit from the Week 5 win.

Chandler fumbled his first catch from Darnold and finished the game with 30 yards on 14 carries, while Gaskin was limited to just two carries for two yards.

In general, the Vikings leaned on their defense, rather than their depleted rushing offense, to secure Sunday’s win over Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. O’Connell will hope to get Jones back as soon as possible to help revive the team’s run game and help stretch their undefeated streak to six straight games.