Vikings Name Kyler Murray Starting QB

The Minnesota Vikings have officially ended their quarterback competition, naming Kyler Murray their starting QB for the 2026 season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Murray beat out former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for the job after the two split reps throughout training camp.

Minnesota signed Murray to a 1-year deal this offseason after the former No. 1 overall pick became available following seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.

The Vikings can now shift the majority of their first-team reps to Murray and give him additional time to get comfortable in Kevin O’Connell’s offense before Week 1.

J.J. McCarthy Returns to Backup Role

The decision is another setback for McCarthy, whom Minnesota selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

After missing his rookie season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy eventually started 10 games in 2025 but struggled to establish himself as Minnesota’s long-term answer.

He finished last season completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 TDs and 12 INTs, while taking 27 sacks.

McCarthy had opportunities to close the gap during camp, including an improved showing during Minnesota’s practice in front of fans on Sunday. However, his inconsistency remained an issue, and the Vikings ultimately chose Murray.

A Huge Opportunity for Murray

Murray now gets a fresh start after his final season in Arizona was limited to five starts.

He completed 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, 6 TDs and 3 INTs in 2025. During his last full season in 2024, Murray threw for 3,851 yards, 21 TDs and 11 INTs while completing 68.8% of his passes.

Murray’s 1-year contract includes a no-tag clause, meaning Minnesota cannot use the franchise tag to keep him from reaching free agency next March. A strong season could put Murray in position to become one of the biggest available quarterbacks of the 2027 offseason.

The move also continues an unusual stretch of turnover at quarterback for Minnesota. Murray will become the Vikings’ fourth different Week 1 starting QB in four seasons, following Kirk Cousins in 2023, Sam Darnold in 2024 and McCarthy in 2025.