Aaron Jones Sr. to Undergo MRI After Knee Injury Against Colts

Aaron Jones Sr. left Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts after taking a hit to his left knee, and the Minnesota Vikings running back is scheduled for an MRI on Monday, according to PurplePTSD, which cited ProFootballTalk's reporting. Jones has been playing through a sprained MCL since Week 2, per PurplePTSD.

Video of the play showed Jones absorbing contact to the outside of his left knee that created a whipping motion at the joint, with additional contact from another Colts defender also affecting the medial side of the knee. PurplePTSD characterized this as cause for concern about a potential ligament injury, though the extent of any damage remained unknown pending the MRI.

The 31-year-old had been carrying a heavy workload to start the season after Jordan Mason fractured his thumb. PurplePTSD estimated Jones was on a pace that would have exceeded 300 carries for the season had his usage continued, framing that workload as unsustainable given his age and injury history. For the 2026 season, Jones has carried the ball 105 times for 436 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.15 yards per carry, per PurplePTSD. The outlet also reported that Jones ranks sixth all-time in yards per carry (4.9) among running backs with at least 1,000 career carries, and that he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in 2024, his first season with the Vikings — a feat PurplePTSD said made him just the third Vikings running back to do so in a debut season with the team, though that historical claim comes from the outlet itself and was not independently verified here.

Mason returned Sunday from his thumb injury and rushed 15 times for 68 yards. PurplePTSD described the outing as a solid return while also arguing that his limitations as a lead back were evident — an assessment that reflects the outlet's own analysis rather than a neutral statistic.

The injury comes as the Vikings approach the NFL trade deadline already facing questions at running back. PurplePTSD noted that unnamed observers have speculated about Minnesota pursuing Indianapolis' Jonathan Taylor or Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley, though no specific reporting tied either scenario to the Vikings directly. The outlet's own view was that Jones' potential absence would sharpen the urgency of adding depth at the position, a conclusion that reflects PurplePTSD's analysis rather than confirmed team plans.

Source: PurplePTSD