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Kevin Seifert, ESPN staff writer
LOS ANGELES – The Minnesota Vikings have decided to hold tight end TJ Hockenson out of Thursday night’s game at the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced.
But the Vikings plan to add him to their 53-man roster on Friday and have him available for their Week 9 game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football.
Hockenson hasn’t played since tearing his ACL and ACL in his right knee on Dec. 24 in a game against the Detroit Lions. He spent training camp and the entire regular season up to that point on the Physically Unable to Perform List (PUP).
The Vikings opened their 21-day window to resume practice on October 4th. The date was set so they have flexibility this week if they decide he isn’t ready to play yet. The window expires Friday, at which point the Vikings must activate him or lose him for the season.
Speaking to reporters last week, Hockenson said he was ready to play whenever the team activated him.
“It’s healed,” Hockenson said of the knee. “It’s stronger than ever, from the tests when I was healthy last year to the tests now. It’s strong The ground base was bigger, stronger, faster than ever and now I’m ready to go out and play ball.
Hockenson has been an integral part of the Vikings’ offense since they acquired him from the Lions at the 2022 trade deadline. From that point on, in 25 career games with the team until his injury, Hockenson caught more passes (155) than any other tight end in the NFL and recorded the second-most yards (1,479).
In his absence, the Vikings have relied primarily on backups Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver, who each recorded a touchdown reception this season. But coach Kevin O’Connell has retooled the offense in Hockenson’s absence, and through seven weeks the Vikings have averaged four goals per game to tight ends – the second fewest in the NFL.
Entering Thursday night’s game, Mundt and Oliver have combined for 18 receptions for 125 yards this season.
