Another Injury: Vikings Fans Wait on Pins and Needles
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
In addition to injuries for J.J. McCarthy, Christian Darrisaw, Mekhi Blackmon, T.J. Hockenson, Dalton Risner, Jordan Addison, Dallas Turner, Sam Darnold, and Aaron Jones so far this season, Minnesota Vikings fans must sweat another.
Another Injury: Vikings Wait on Pins and Needles
Itās rookie kicker Will Reichard. Heāll undergo an MRI for a quad problem this week.
Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Star Tribuneās Andrew Krammer tweeted Monday, āKicker Will Reichard is scheduled for an MRI on his right quad tomorrow, he said. Heās been dealing with soreness for a little bit and said he further strained his leg sometime in the first half. He had a heat pad on the sidelines to continue playing.ā
Nicknamed āWill the Thrillā by Vikings special teams coach Matt Daniels, the young specialist missed two field goals in Minnesotaās Sunday Night Football win in Week 9, an uncharacteristic behavior. The Vikings have a bizarre knack for winning games when the kicker misses field goals, but that luck may eventually run out.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The Athleticās Alec Lewis added a Reichard-related snippet from a past article on Twitter Monday: āMotivating, yes, but also ominous. In September of 2019, Reichard mishit a kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium and felt a sharp pain in his leg. Lying on a table in the locker room, Alabamaās trainers told him he had torn the quad in his right leg straight off the bone. One of the trainers said there was āa possibility he may not kick for a while,ā special teams assistant Joe Houston recalled.ā
Until Sunday night, Reichard had been the NFLās most accurate kicker and a budding legend in Minnesota. For decades, Vikings football has been snakebitten by bad kicker antics, and with Reichard in the saddle, fears dwindled. The man inspired an aura of confidence.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Too, another Vikings specialist is likely hitting injured reserve. ESPNās Kevin Sefiert tweeted on Monday, āVikings All-Pro long snapper Andrew DePaola suffered a hand injury and will need surgery, per Kevin OāConnell. Likely short-term IR.ā
If Reichard misses any games as a result of the MRI, free-agent kickers like Randy Bullock, Jack Podlesny, Brett Maher, and John Parker Romo, among others, are available.
Head coach Kevin OāConnell said about Reichard, āYouād love to have him continue on the fabulous trajectory heās been on really since he arrived here. These things come up. Weāll go through the process here of making sure we put together the best plan to make sure we have him full and doing what heās doing all season long really up until last night.ā
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The Vikings next travel to Jacksonville for a date with the Jaguars and are favored by 4.5 points to prevail on Sunday.
The team will host free-agent kickers and long snappers this week to prepare for the special teams injury fallout.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, āThe Sopranos,ā Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.Ā
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