Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy listed a bizarre idea for one of the reasons coach Kevin O'Connell opted for QB Kyler Murray over him in the team's starting battle
J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy started 10 games for the Vikings last year(Image: Getty Images)
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The Minnesota Vikings are opting for veteran Kyler Murray as their 2026 starting quarterback over 2025 starter J.J. McCarthy, potentially ending the former Michigan man's stint in the Twin Cities.
McCarthy went 6-4 as the Vikings' main man last year but struggled widely with accuracy and consistently, doing some of his best work with his legs over his arm in a frustrating campaign. He told reporters that he'll be "ready for when my number's called."
The 2024 first-round pick also shoehorned an odd excuse into the potential reasoning why coach Kevin O'Connell picked free-agent signing Murray over him in the quarterback battle: the heat.
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"There [are] so many things out of my control, like the heat today," McCarthy said at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan, MN.
"And it's just really having the discernment to figure out which of the two [quarterbacks], and that was one of the things outside of my control. And me attacking and optimizing every opportunity, which was in my control, and that's all I was focusing on."
J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy will give way to Kyler Murray (L) in 2026(Image: Getty Images)
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The competition, according to Murray, McCarthy, and O'Connell, was truly open and gave both competitors a fair chance to win the job.
"I didn’t come in here expecting to be handed the job or anything like that. I just expected to come here and compete," Murray said after the decision was announced. "I’m very appreciative of how it was handled."
Murray, a former Pro Bowler and No. 1 overall pick, hasn't played in a competitive environment for almost a half-decade. The diminutive signal caller figures to have Minnesota in contention for a playoff spot, should he hold onto the starting job.
"He's just one of my teammates that I care for and respect, and just like all my teammates in that locker room," McCarthy said of his dynamic with Murray. "So, it's about just doing whatever I can for the room and this team and moving forward."
Both Murray and McCarthy are expected to get reps under center for the Vikings against the New York Giants on Sunday in the team's first preseason game.
So why make the decision now? "It’s just the appropriate time now to allow our team and everybody clarity for exactly the direction we’re moving going forward," O'Connell explained.
He still spoke glowingly of McCarthy. “He’s still a guy who’s only played 10 games. He’s shown improvement from last year… as he knows, he’s holding the pen on his story. We’re going to support him and try to help him continue to improve as a young player," O'Connell shared.