Why the Vikings’ handling of Christian Darrisaw is getting complicated

After shutting down injured defensive starters Jonathan Greenard and Josh Metellus, the Vikings have not followed suit with star left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who has been in and out of the lineup in his first season back from the torn ACL he suffered in October 2024.

In light of another missed game in Week 15, and with the season officially lost with their elimination from playoff contention, head coach Kevin O'Connell says the Vikings are taking it "a day at a time" with Darrisaw.

"Christian has constant dialogue with our medical staff and [head athletic trainer Tyler Williams] and his group to chart the best path moving forward, and really on a day-to-day basis right now," O'Connell said Wednesday.

Darrisaw missed his second straight practice on Thursday, when he was ruled a DNP on the injury report. It was another sign that he's unlikely likely to suit up in New York for the Vikings' Week 16 showdown with the Giants. Adding to the intrigue was ESPN's Kevin Seifert reporting that Darrisaw did not want to talk to media.

"He couldn't answer a question about whether he will play again this season," Seifert said of Darrisaw.

Christian Darrisaw said he preferred not to talk today when approached in the locker room. He said he couldn’t answer a question about whether he will play again this season. https://t.co/CGCbYA5A5h
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 18, 2025

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero indicated that Darrisaw's stop-and-start season may be a case of trying to regain trust in his body after a devastating injury.

"When they come off of significant injuries, it becomes as much of a mental thing [as a] physical thing," Pelissero said on KFAN's Power Trip in the Morning Show. "I'm not implying that his knee isn't having after effects from the surgery. However, there's also something to be said for, 'Alright, if I'm not 100%, do I feel like I can push myself forward?' If you're just getting out there every week, and it's a grind and you don't feel quite right, that can weigh on people."

"So, with Darrisaw, this back-and-forth that you've seen in terms of, 'He's playing, but he's not full, now he's full, now we got to ease off of him, now he's out a game.' That has all the classic hallmarks of a guy who, right now, isn't really confident in his body to get through games," continued Pelissero. "From everything that I can tell, and just watching him play, and knowing the dynamics of these situations, it seems like Darrisaw may have some reluctance to really continue to push forward in a season where they're not going to make the playoffs, if he feels like he's not 100%."

The Vikings have three games left in the season. Those three games mean very little beyond continuing to develop quarterback J.J. McCarthy. How much does Darrisaw play into that, and how much do the Vikings risk further injury to any of their stars? Those are big questions the coaching and medical staff have to ponder.

"I don't know that it's going to be a full shutdown, because he doesn't have an acute injury right now," said Pelissero. "He just doesn't feel quite right. So everybody's going to have to make some decisions about whether or not he's on the field."

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