The Minnesota Vikings have decided Kyler Murray will be entering the 2026 season as their first-choice quarterback.
Despite using the 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on J.J. McCarthy, the former Michigan Wolverines quarterback has failed to take off in Minnesota.
Kevin O’Connell has already named Murray as his QB1 for the new season after seeing the pair go head-to-head during training camp.
The Vikings went 6-4 last season with McCarthy as their starting quarterback, but more is seemingly demanded from the Vikings ahead of the new season.
With the former Arizona Cardinal given the nod to lead the Vikings’ offense, further attention has been drawn to McCarthy as he shared a baffling excuse over his failed attempts to win the QB battle.
J.J. McCarthy issues bizarre weather excuse over Minnesota Vikings quarterback battle
Make no mistake about it, NFL fans have been shocked to see Murray win the QB battle in Minnesota ahead of the season opener.
The 29-year-old’s career has been hugely underwhelming up to this point, but clearly he has provided O’Connell more optimism than McCarthy.
Speaking to the media, McCarthy admitted there were a number of factors out of his control as he battled for the starting QB spot.
“The decision was made that was out of my control, and obviously every competitor wants to play. But moving forward, it’s just about continuing to work hard and staying ready for when my number’s called,” he said.
“There are so many things out of our control, like the heat today. It’s really about having the discernment to figure out which of the two is which.
“That was one of those things outside of my control. Attacking and optimizing every opportunity – that was in my control, and that is all I was focused on.”
Where this leaves McCarthy now remains to be seen, with the young quarterback set to watch from the sidelines if Murray can go injury free.
The Vikings have been stung in recent years in allowing Sam Darnold and even Daniel Jones to leave the organization, which may make them cautious over completely ruling out McCarthy at this stage.
Whether standing on the sideline watching Murray will help improve McCarthy going forward is a big question that will need to be answered.
Read more: