Vikings escape Bears loss with no in-game injuries despite Isaiah Rodgers scare

Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers collided helmet-to-helmet with Bears tight end Cole Kmet midway through the second quarter Sunday and briefly exited to be evaluated for a concussion.

After a few minutes in the blue medical tent during which he was labeled as questionable to return, Rodgers cleared concussion protocol and was able to return to the field for the Vikings’ next defensive series.

“I’m good. He was huge,” Rodgers said with a chuckle about Kmet after the game. “One of those moments I got to make a business decision. I should’ve went a little lower. I’ll be alright.”

When Rodgers returned, the Vikings made a short-field stop after Bears safety Kevin Byard III intercepted Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy on a pass targeting wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Byard returned the ball to the Vikings’ 25-yard line, but the Minnesota defense held and forced a field goal to get their offense the ball back with two minutes left in the first half.

The Vikings are already down one cornerback from their top trio. Jeff Okudah was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 8 while he continues working through concussion protocol after suffering his second concussion of the season Oct. 23 against the Chargers.

Vikings safety Josh Metellus also briefly exited because of injury in the final minutes but returned to the field before game’s end.

With Greenard out, Dallas Turner was in the starting lineup and played a strong game, making seven tackles, three quarterback hurries and landing one sack on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.

Andrew Van Ginkel had the Vikings’ other sack and the defense accumulated 10 tackles for a loss despite Williams evading their grasp a few times.

The Bears avoided any mid-game injury exits as well.

Sunday’s game was No. 200 in the regular season for Vikings safety Harrison Smith. He is one of only eight active NFL players to reach the milestone with a single team and joins Scott Studwell, Mick Tingelhoff, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller and Fred Cox in the Vikings’ 200-game club.

Smith was the last member of the defense to be announced during player introductions, and his wife Madison Smith and two children, Eleanor and Pierce, sounded the Gjallarhorn shortly after.

Smith added that it wasn’t a moment he could’ve imagined when he was drafted No. 29 overall by the Vikings in 2012 out of Notre Dame.

Smith made two tackles in the game. Metellus, a fellow safety, donned a throwback No. 22 jersey in Smith’s honor after the game.

Jets cornerback Kris Boyd, who started his career with the Vikings and spent four seasons (2019-22) in Minnesota, is in critical but stable condition at a New York City hospital after being shot in Midtown early Sunday morning, according to reports.

The Jets played Thursday night against the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., losing 27-14. Boyd has been on injured reserve since August with a shoulder injury.

Boyd, 29, appeared in 58 games for the Vikings and started six. He played a majority of his snaps on special teams. He made 95 tackles, forced two fumbles and had four fumble recoveries.

“Prayers and best energy to him and his family,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “He was awesome. He’s one of a kind. He’s one of the best locker room dudes we’ve had.”

Three Vikings defenders were fined by the league for plays in their Week 10 loss to the Ravens. The league releases the list of fines issued on the following Saturday.

Rodgers and Turner were fined for hip-drop tackles, a specific type of tackle the league has been working to eliminate. Those were both first offenses, and each was fined $17,389.

Turner was also fined for his hit on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson that drew a roughing-the-passer penalty under the body weight rule.

Though he had another roughing-the-passer penalty this season for a hit on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert that resulted in a fine, Turner was only charged the first-offense fee ($17,389) for his hit on Jackson. The two roughing-the-passer penalties fell under different parts of the rule.

Cornerback Fabian Moreau was fined for use of his helmet categorized as unnecessary roughness. His fine was $6,972.