Kyler Murray Wins Vikings’ Starting Quarterback Job

Kyler Murray will officially be an opening-week starter in the NFL this season, but for the first time in his career, it won’t be for the Arizona Cardinals.

That’s still positive news for Murray, given there was no guarantee he’d even be a starter this season. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings back in March, immediately sparking a quarterback competition in which he knew he would have to earn the starting job over J.J. McCarthy, who was Minnesota’s primary starter last season.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced Tuesday that Murray had won the job following the team’s training camp evaluation of both quarterbacks.

Ultimately, the decision seemed to come down to experience and readiness. Neither quarterback in this competition is currently elite by any definition of the word, but the Vikings want to be competitive this season. While McCarthy is the younger player with more long-term upside, he missed his entire rookie season with an injury and continued to deal with injuries last year.

Murray, meanwhile, is a two-time Pro Bowler who has thrown for more than 20,000 yards and 120 touchdowns in his career. Despite being undersized for the quarterback position, he’s also an extremely athletic runner who can create offense with his legs.

O’Connell specifically mentioned Murray’s accuracy, athleticism and command of the offense as qualities that helped him win the job. Naming the starter now also gives Minnesota a chance to stabilize the offense. The Vikings know who will be leading the unit, allowing them to shape the scheme around Murray and give him more time to develop chemistry with the players around him.

To be clear, McCarthy is still very much in play to start games this season. It’s Murray’s job to lose, but it’s not necessarily one he’ll have a firm grasp on all year. If the first few weeks don’t go well, don’t be surprised if McCarthy gets his opportunity.

For now, though, Murray will be QB1 for the Vikings when the season begins.