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J.J. McCarthy’s rookie campaign in the NFL came to an end before it began.
McCarthy underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus, which will sideline him for the entire 2024 season. He was set to compete for the Vikings’ starting quarterback job this year after Minnesota picked him No. 10 overall in the NFL Draft.
[Related: J.J. McCarthy and other NFL injuries that could impact 2024 season]
Unfortunately for McCarthy, it makes him somewhat of an anomaly among first-round rookie quarterbacks. According to CBS Sports, the Michigan product will become the first QB drafted in the first round in the common draft era (1967-present) to miss his entire rookie season because of injury.
But McCarthy is far from alone in experiencing such a setback. The question is, how will he respond? Here are the best examples from the 21st century of NFL and NBA players who bounced back after sitting out their entire rookie seasons with injuries.
10. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (2021)
It’s interesting to imagine what would have happened if Etienne had played his rookie year. The former standout Clemson running back was the No. 25 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, reuniting him with his college quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was picked 24 spots before him at No. 1 overall. But then-Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer told reporters weeks after Etienne was drafted that the team would use him mainly as a wide receiver in training camp.
That experiment was cut short when Etienne suffered a Lisfranc tear in his foot in a preseason game, sidelining him for the entirety of his rookie season. By the time Etienne was healthy enough to return, new coach Doug Pederson returned the ACC’s all-time leading rusher to his original position. Etienne took over the Jaguars’ starting running back job during the 2022 season and hasn’t looked back since, topping 1,000 rushing yards in each of the two NFL seasons he’s played.
9. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys (2016)
Smith is one of the…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/10-best-players-since-2000-miss-rookie-seasons-injuries
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Publish date : 2024-08-16 14:18:10
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