GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Minnesota Vikings' NFC North-clinching win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night was not without its toll of injuries. One of them will keep an key member of the Vikings' offense out for the rest of the season.

Tight end Rhett Ellison tore his patellar tendon on a reception in the fourth quarter and will miss the rest of the season, coach Mike Zimmer said in his postgame radio interview following the Vikings' 20-13 win at Lambeau Field.

The loss of Ellison takes an underrated and versatile component of the Vikings' offense off the field before Sunday's wild-card round game against the Seattle Seahawks. The Vikings use Ellison at fullback and tight end, as a blocker and pass-catching option, and he finished the year with 11 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. His injury means he'll have a lengthy rehab process just before he's about to hit free agency, and it means the Vikings will have to adjust their game plan for Seattle, which pressured Teddy Bridgewater on 39.4 percent of his dropbacks, despite blitzing him just twice in a 38-7 win in Week 14.

Ellison played roughly 49 percent of the Vikings' offensive snaps, as the team employed multiple-tight end sets to open holes for Adrian Peterson and provide help for rookie right tackle T.J. Clemmings. The Vikings often put two tight ends to the right of Clemmings, taking away an opportunity for edge rushers to beat Clemmings to his outside shoulder. Ellison's absence provides an opportunity for promising rookie MyCole Pruitt, but the Vikings figure to miss Ellison against Seattle.