MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 23: A member of the Minnesota Vikings training staff checks on Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers on October 23, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Final injury report for the Vikings vs. Packers: Hockenson, Cleveland, Nwangwu
T.J. Hockenson, a tight end for the Vikings, is listed as healthy for Sunday’s Lambeau Field matchup against the Packers due to a foot issue. This is significant for Minnesota’s offense because Hockenson just finished with 11 catches in the team’s victory over the 49ers on Monday. Although he was hit several times during that game, he was still able to practice this week on Thursday and Friday. This week, three Vikings players are questionable: WR Jalen Nailor, RB/KR Kene Nwangwu, and LG Ezra Cleveland.
Cleveland is dealing with a foot injury that he picked up in the fourth quarter of the Bears game a couple weeks ago. He was unable to play against the 49ers, which meant Dalton Risner got his first start with the Vikings. It’s unclear who would get the start at left guard this weekend if Cleveland is medically cleared. Risner played well against San Francisco, but Cleveland was also playing well prior to getting hurt. Nailor (hamstring) is still on injured reserve and nearing the midway point of his 21-day window to be activated. There’s a chance he could be activated on Saturday and available on Sunday. Nwangwu is a Friday addition to the injury report.
The Packers have not yet released their official report, but they had Jaire Alexander (back), Luke Musgrave (ankle), and Preston Smith (illness) at practice on Friday after those three players missed Thursday’s session. Players on injured reserve between these two teams include Justin Jefferson, Marcus Davenport, David Bakhtiari, Darnell Savage, and Eric Stokes.
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T.J. Hockenson was not being told to fake an injury, according to Kevin O’Connell.
Joe Buck implied during the broadcast that Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell wanted tight end T.J. Hockenson to fake an injury in order to stop the clock after O’Connell was seen on ESPN instructing Hockenson to “go down” during the second quarter of Monday night’s game. According to O’Connell, that was untrue.
According to O’Connell, Hockenson was actually hurt, and all he wanted was some extra time for the team to find a replacement for him.
“It was more so about if he’s coming out – kind of similar maybe what you guys saw when we took a delay late in a previous game this year. When a guy either comes on or comes off late, we’re pretty meticulous about what personnel is on the field, what we’re gonna call with those guys in the game,” O’Connell said, via the New York Post. “It just allows us all a chance [to] reset, and he was injured. I credit all of our guys’ toughness but sometimes depending on the time of the game of the situation of the game where the clock is really not an issue, he was able to come back in the game from that which was really impressive.”
Players who are hurt have the right to seek injury timeout, and Hockenson seemed to be actually hurt, not just acting like he was. Although the NFL looks into claims of fictitious ailments and occasionally punishes players or teams for them, there’s no evidence that Hockenson or O’Connell broke any laws.
