Vikings QB Carson Wentz to have surgery, miss remainder of 2025 season

Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz is undergoing surgery on his left shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Minutes after that report came out on Monday afternoon, the Vikings announced that Wentz has been placed on injured reserve.

#Vikings QB Carson Wentz will undergo surgery on his left shoulder and miss the rest of the 2025 season, sources tell The Insiders.

Wentz gutted it out as long as he could. But he was in severe pain Thursday night in L.A. and now will get the shoulder fixed. pic.twitter.com/PCmvVuoBEL
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 27, 2025

Wentz started the last five games at quarterback for the Vikings in place of J.J. McCarthy, who was sidelined by a high ankle sprain in Week 2. The veteran Wentz picked up an injury to his non-throwing shoulder before the bye week, but was able to play through it for a couple more games. Specifically, per Ian Rapoport, Wentz "suffered a dislocation that tore his labrum and fractured the socket" in the win over the Browns in London. That's a major injury to play through.

It culminated in a brutal night for Wentz on several different levels last Thursday against the Chargers. He needed to wear a large brace on his shoulder just to play. And over the course of the night, during a poor individual performance in a blowout loss, Wentz took quite the beating. On several occasions, he ended up landing on his shoulder as a result of hits from defenders, with the Prime Video broadcast showing him in significant pain.

Despite Wentz being in visible pain and the score getting away from the Vikings, head coach Kevin O'Connell never made the decision to take him out and put in rookie Max Brosmer until the very end of the game. Wentz may have ultimately needed surgery regardless, but taking him out earlier could've at least spared him some extreme pain and nationally-televised humiliation.

Wentz, 32, signed with the Vikings in August to be McCarthy's backup after the Vikings traded Sam Howell to the Eagles. The former No. 2 overall pick became the first player in NFL history to start a game at quarterback for a different team in six consecutive seasons. Wentz went 2-3 as the Vikings' starter, completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,216 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He was sacked 19 times.

With this news, it's not out of the question that Wentz may have started his final game in the NFL.

To fill his roster spot, the Vikings have claimed tight end Ben Sims off of waivers from the Packers. Sims originally signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2023, then was claimed on waivers by Green Bay after final roster cuts.

The Vikings will also undoubtedly need to add a quarterback. McCarthy will be back as their starter this Sunday in Detroit, but Brosmer is currently the only other QB on the roster. They'll need someone who can at least serve as the emergency No. 3 option.

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