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J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings had an up-and-down 2025 NFL regular season under head coach Kevin O’Connell. After finishing 14-3 and making the playoffs in 2024, Minnesota moved on from quarterback Sam Darnold, electing to select J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Darnold wound up winning a Super Bowl in Seattle, while McCarthy struggled with injuries and with play. The Illinois native finished with more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (11) to go along with 1,632 passing yards on a 57.6% completion percentage. The IMG Academy graduate finished with the third-lowest QBR in the league (35.4).
The 6-foot-3 quarterback recently received unfortunate news, as on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Kyler Murray will be the starting quarterback for the Vikings in 2026. After spending seven seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, the team released Murray. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Minnesota shortly after.
The 5-foot-10 quarterback played every game in his first two years in the league but has missed 30 games due to injury since 2021. In five games in 2025, the Texas native threw for 962 yards on 110 completions for a 68.3% completion percentage, along with six touchdowns and three interceptions. The 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is known for his wheels, having 3,193 rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns in his career. Coach O’Connell is hoping that the Allen High School graduate can accentuate the talent of weapons such as wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson.
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“ESPN sources: The Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting QB,” Schefter wrote on X.
ESPN sources: the Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting QB. pic.twitter.com/VBE4azfGoF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2026
Minnesota will open the 2026 regular season by hosting the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 4:25 p.m. ET.
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This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 10:58 AM.