Minnesota Vikings end season for one starter among roster moves, and it could be a sign of things to come

Ahead of their Christmas Day game against the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings make multiple roster moves, including ending the season for Ryan Kelly.

Tyler Forness NFL & College Football News Writer
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Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) under center Ryan Kelly (78) during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings at AT&T Stadium.
Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are going into their Christmas Day matchup with the Detroit Lions a very beat up team. The final injury report released on Wednesday afternoon emphasized that, as tight end T.J. Hockenson led a contingent of four players set to miss the game.

One of those players is center Ryan Kelly, who suffered his third concussion of the season against the New York Giants. It’s a brutal injury for Kelly to suffer, especially since he’s already had two this season.

Minnesota Vikings end Ryan Kelly’s season and place him on injured reserve

Wednesday afternoon saw the Vikings make multiple roster moves, with the highlight being Kelly, who was placed on injured reserve for the second time this season.

The Vikings and Kelly tried to mitigate the concussions by changing his helmet and adding a guardian cap. They have been used by more and more players to mitigate concussions. Unfortunately, the contact Kelly had with Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke with the front of his helmet and the facemask.

Being that it’s his third concussion of the year and second year of his career where he’s suffered three in the regular season, this could end up being the end of the line for Kelly. Nobody would blame him for retiring, as he was already reportedly considering it before he signed a two-year deal with the Vikings this offseason.

To replace him, the Vikings signed Henry Byrd to the active roster from the practice squad. He will help provide some much-needed center depth for the Vikings, as Blake Brandel is being used as a swing tackle for the rest of the season. Michael Jurgens will now have the final two games to prove he’s worth investing in long-term.

The Vikings also elevated linebacker Sione Takitaki to the active roster from the practice squad. He will help provide linebacker depth and be a factor on special teams.

The Vikings and Lions kick off at 3:30 P.M. CT on Christmas Day.