Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy are battling for the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback job, and only time will tell who ends up under center in Week 1. However, while the battle has yet to be decided, we can make a reasonable guess as to who currently has the upper hand based on reports across the league. After winning 14 games with Sam Darnold under center, the team watched him sign with the Seattle Seahawks and ultimately moved forward with Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
Selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the quarterback missed the entirety of his rookie season with a shoulder injury and didn’t exactly light the world on fire in 2025. While he had a few impressive moments here and there, his overall body of work left a lot to be desired. Starting and appearing in 10 games, the second-year passer finished the season with a 6-4 record while completing just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
J.J. McCarthy wasn’t quite as bad as those numbers would suggest, but he wasn’t good enough to enter 2025 as the unquestioned starter. Minnesota signed veteran quarterback Kyler Murray to compete for the starting job, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero recently weighed in on which quarterback is most likely to start in 2026.
Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy Battling For Vikings Starting Quarterback Spot
During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, NFL insider Tom Pelissero said that the Vikings “envision it being a true competition: Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy.” This suggests there isn’t a favorite to start as of this moment, and both quarterbacks will have an equal opportunity to earn the starting job.
Frankly, this makes sense. While Kyler Murray is the bigger name and is a top-32 quarterback in the league, he’s not so good that he should automatically win the starting job. McCarthy is still on a rookie contract with minimal professional experience, so there’s still time for him to improve. For what it’s worth, he did show some signs of life down the stretch and is only entering his age-23 season. There’s a very real chance he doesn’t turn into a franchise quarterback, but he could still turn it around.
Outside of Arizona
Kyler Murray, the former first-overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, spent the entirety of his career with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Vikings in the offseason. After a promising start to his career where he made two Pro Bowls in his first three seasons, Murray looked like one of the league’s better young quarterbacks. However, he took a step back after signing a massive extension and proved to be one of those quarterbacks you can win with, but not one of the ones who can carry a flawed roster.
Murray only played in five games last year, as he suffered a minor injury and then lost the starting job to veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett. The Cardinals released him in the offseason but still owe him $36.8 million in guaranteed money. Because of this, the Vikings signed Murray to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum. If all goes right, Kyler Murray will win the starting job and re-establish himself as a capable starting quarterback.
The Vikings have done a solid job of giving whichever quarterback wins the starting job a reliable supporting cast. Veteran Justin Jefferson is still one of the game’s premier receivers, former first-round pick Jordan Addison is a solid WR2, and the team recently signed former San Francisco 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings. These players, combined with an above-average offensive mind in head coach Kevin O’Connell, should give Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy all the tools they need to succeed in 2026.