Vikings get good injury news on Aaron Jones, who was great against Lions

Jones was excellent in Detroit until a shoulder injury sidelined him early in the second half.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) runs against Detroit Lions during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, November 2, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his second game back from a hamstring injury, Aaron Jones gave the Vikings a huge spark in their 27-24 upset win over the Lions on Sunday. Jones was on track for a massive day until a shoulder injury sidelined him early in the second half. Fortunately, initial reports are that the veteran running back avoided a serious injury and believes he'll be able to play next Sunday against the Ravens.

"Vikings RB Aaron Jones, who was dominating early in Detroit before leaving the game, suffered an AC joint sprain," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero posted on X. "Belief is it's minor and he believes he’ll be able to play next week."

Jones, who was held to 30 yards on seven touches in Minnesota's blowout Week 8 loss to the Chargers, got going right away in this game. His first carry of the day went for 11 yards, and he added a 14-yard reception on a third-down screen that set up the Vikings' first touchdown of the day from J.J. McCarthy to Justin Jefferson.

Brian O’Neill pancake helps opens a lane for an Aaron Jones 1st down pic.twitter.com/DdCWZiBT1J

— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) November 2, 2025

To start the Vikings' second drive, which also ended in a McCarthy touchdown pass, Jones had a 14-yard run. In the second quarter, he had a 31-yard gain on a swing pass from McCarthy that was scored as a backwards pass and a rush. That play helped set up a Will Reichard field goal.

Two plays into the third quarter, Jones was up to 98 yards on just 11 touches. But he landed hard on his shoulder on that 11 touch and never ended up returning to the game. Jordan Mason finished the day at running back for the Vikings.

"Aaron Jones came out of the game there, evaluated for I believe a shoulder and a toe," Kevin O'Connell said postgame. "We'll see where he's at. Hope to get some good news on Aaron. Thought it was a big thing to have him back on the field with us."

Pelissero's report seems to indicate that Jones is dealing with a mild, Grade I sprain of his AC joint. That comes with some pain and range of motion concerns, but it's also something he can potentially play through without missing any additional time. It'll be worth keeping an eye on the Vikings' injury reports in the week leading up to next Sunday's game against the Ravens.

Outside of Jones, the Vikings seemed to emerge pretty healthy from their win in Detroit. They had an injury scare with Justin Jefferson at one point, but it turned out to be nothing more than a cramp.

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