Many expected it to happen, but on Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings officially announced that quarterback J.J. McCarthy will sit out the team's upcoming Christmas matchup on Thursday against the Detroit Lions due to the hand injury he suffered during this past weekend's win over the New York Giants.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed that McCarthy suffered a "very small" hairline fracture on his throwing hand against the Giants, and the second-year quarterback won't need surgery to repair the injury.
There's also still a chance that McCarthy could return for Minnesota's regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, but against the Lions on Thursday, the Vikings will take the field inside U.