Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, edge rusher D.J. Wonnum will miss the rest of the season

The Vikings will have to play the final two games of the regular season — and any playoff appearances — without tight end T.J. Hockenson and outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum.

Both starters suffered season-ending injuries during Sunday's 30-24 loss to the Lions, head coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Tuesday.

Hockenson suffered two torn right knee ligaments, the ACL and MCL, when he was hit low by Lions safety Kerby Joseph in the third quarter during a 24-yard catch. Early in the fourth quarter, Wonnum dropped to the turf while rushing Lions quarterback Jared Goff. He suffered a torn quad tendon.

Both players will undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve.

"Very, very unfortunate play," O'Connell said of Hockenson's injury. "We've done a nice job kind of helping take out some of those head and neck area hits to the defenseless players, some of those low hits can be incredibly catastrophic for guys. So, it was awful to see that happen."

O'Connell added that receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder) have a chance to play in Sunday night's game against Green Bay. Both left the Lions loss and did not return.

Hockenson has been one of the only consistent parts of the Vikings' 10th-ranked offense this season. He played through two injured ribs in November, when on Nov. 12 he set the NFL record as the first tight end with at least 10 catches, 125 yards and a score in a single half.

He finished the season with a career-high 95 catches for 960 receiving yards — just 40 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard campaign. There was no buyer's remorse from the Vikings after signing Hockenson to a four-year extension worth up to $68.5 million on Aug. 31.

"T.J. has been a constant throughout the whole season," O'Connell said. "He's been incredibly tough dealing with some things throughout the year, managing those and working through those and still being available."

"And his production," he added. "He's been wildly productive all season long, which was my expectation coming into the season."

The Vikings have reinforcements at tight end with Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt and Nick Muse also on the active roster.

During Sunday's loss, teammates rallied around Wonnum as he was helped onto a cart. They immediately feared a long-term injury, which comes at an inopportune time. Wonnum is scheduled to be a free agent in March.

"It's hard. Football is brutal," linebacker Jordan Hicks said after the loss. "You lift him up in prayer and try to be there for him. This is going to be a tough time. Mentally, it's the hardest. Physically, we're built to come back from physical pain and all the injuries."

Wonnum was enjoying another solid season as a spot starter. He was elevated into a major role due to Marcus Davenport's ankle injuries. He currently ranks second on the team with eight sacks while playing the sixth-most defensive snaps — 828 (82.8%) — in 14 starts. Wonnum has 23 sacks in 63 games (including one playoff game) since he was drafted by the Vikings in 2020's fourth round out of South Carolina.

"I thought he'd be a perfect fit [with coordinator Brian Flores]," O'Connell said. "He's very physical as an edge-setting outside linebacker in this defense, but also very versatile. [He's] very natural as a complementary rusher to Danielle or Marcus."

The Vikings (7-8) are even thinner on the edge. Without Wonnum and Davenport, they have Danielle Hunter, Patrick Jones II and rookie Andre Carter II on the active roster. Outside linebackers Quincy Roche and Austin Bryant are on the practice squad. Davenport remains on injured reserve after undergoing surgery to repair an Oct. 15 high ankle sprain.

The Vikings also have long-term questions at pass rusher. In addition to Wonnum, Hunter and Davenport are also scheduled to be free agents in March.