The worst-case scenario that the Minnesota Vikings feared Saturday is now a reality: Veteran safety Jamal Adams will miss the entire 2026 season with a knee injury, a team source told The Athletic on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly.

Adams injured his knee during the second quarter of the Vikings’ preseason opener Saturday against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.

After the game, head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team’s initial examination didn’t look good, and that was confirmed Sunday.

“I told the team after the game, ‘This guy has come in and impacted our organization,’” O’Connell said Saturday. “He’s energy every day. Affecting people in a positive way. We’ve absolutely loved his play style, his competes. And he was genuinely carving out a significant role for himself by totally being all in on the process.”

Adams stumbled while defending receiver Calvin Austin III on the play that resulted in his injury. Adams had drifted backward from the line of scrimmage and into coverage. When Austin crossed from the right side of the field to the left, Adams slipped and stayed on the turf for an extensive period. Following a lengthy trip to the medical tent, he was transported off the field on a cart.

Vikings teammates and coaches consoled Adams on the sideline before he left the field. Safety Josh Metellus and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., specifically, appeared distraught after the injury. Metellus said after Saturday’s game that Adams had spoken to the defense earlier this week about his journey: being drafted with the sixth pick in 2017, becoming an All-Pro, and missing major chunks of five separate seasons due to injury.

Metellus shared that Adams talked about everything — the mental toll, the gratitude, the current opportunity.

“This game takes a lot from you, and it doesn’t really give too much,” Metellus said. “He’s given constant, relentless effort to play the game he loves. To fall short year in and year out, I think it’s definitely been tough. His football journey hasn’t given him what he’s wanted. But that’s the name of the game.”

The 30-year-old former All-Pro signed a one-year contract for just north of $1.4 million with the Vikings before training camp began. He told reporters he chose the team because of his previous relationship with general manager Nolan Teasley and his respect for defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Quickly, he developed relationships with Metellus and Murphy. His versatility intrigued coaches.

Adams played 11 snaps before Saturday’s injury. He lined up near the line of scrimmage and in the slot, showcasing a potentially creative role. His injury history, which includes a torn quad in 2022, clouds his future. It also adds further urgency for Minnesota to find safety depth.

Adams, who was entering his 10th season in the NFL, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection. He was first-team All-Pro in 2019 when he had 75 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the New York Jets.

San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle said Sunday he’s nearing a return to practice from a torn Achilles tendon, and he hopes to be ready to play in the Sept. 10 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia.

Kittle said he’s “very confident” he will be activated from the physically unable to perform list before Week 1, meaning he would not miss the season’s first four games. As for facing the Rams?

“I have a chance,” Kittle said. “We’re running around a lot, hitting top speeds. Hopefully we’re back in pads practicing sooner than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be a dumbass.

“These next couple weeks here are everything,” he added later. “That will let me know whether I’m ready to play in Week 1.”

Kittle, who turns 33 in October, tore the Achilles in his right leg Jan. 11 in the wild-card playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. He said his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, told him after the surgery that he had a chance to be ready for the 2026 opener, which added motivation during his rehab.

“It was pretty easy to light a fire every day,” Kittle said.

The seven-time Pro Bowler said he’s been hitting all his benchmarks for speed and acceleration numbers. He hinted he’d be back at practice shortly but declined to give a timeline.

“I’ve got to keep you guys on your toes,” he teased. “I can’t give you all your information.”

Kittle said he wants to practice in pads and build up his football stamina before Week 1. He suggested that if he’s not ready to play in the opener, he would stay behind in Santa Clara when the rest of the team takes off for Melbourne, which will be roughly a week before the Sept. 10 game.

“I don’t want my first time in pads to be in Australia,” he said. “Because I don’t think that would be a very smart idea.”

Kittle said he isn’t going to jeopardize the full season just to play in the opener.

“If you miss Week 1 and you play Week 2 — hey, it is what it is,” he said. “I’m just going to keep (Week 1) as my goal, and we’ll adjust from there if we need to.”

Still, he said his rehabilitation plan has been “very aggressive” from the beginning.

He was in a cast for roughly two weeks, and immediately after it came off, he was picking up marbles with his toes and doing seated calf raises. Eight weeks after surgery, he was on the golf course at Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

“That’s actually the first thing I thought of after I got hurt — this is gonna really mess up my golf game this offseason,” he said. “I actually played the best golf of my life. I was pretty excited about that.”