Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy: A Vikings QB Battle
Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will compete for the Vikings' starting quarterback spot in training camp, facing major team shifts and preseason pressure.
Video Transcript
But let's begin at the bottom, if you will, which is the Minnesota Vikings.
As Joe and I have talked a bit about some starting quarterback battles, Kyler Murray versus J.J. McCarthy is one of the most interesting in recent memory.
When you think about narrative, when you think about draft capital spent, you think about where those two guys are in their career, the messaging from the franchise, the odds, and how the perception might be different for the two quarterbacks in this battle.
Let's listen to Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy talking about that relationship.
Kyler, can you describe your relationship with J.J. to this point?
It's been great.
It's been great.
obviously I know he's a younger guy, so any, any way I can help him, obviously I feel like, you know, I've played seven years now going on eight, so I'm considered a veteran even though I don't see myself as that.
give him any knowledge that he needs.
again, you know, we're both, competitors, and I know, you know, we both want what's best for the team.
Has he been receptive to hearing criticism?
Of course.
Of course.
Yeah, he's No, he's, overly acceptive, you know, and he's, he's, always communicating, asking questions, stuff like that, so it's been good.
J.J., what's your relationship been like with Kyler so far?
You know, it's just like two guys in a classroom.
You know, he sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it's the coach's responsibility to teach us and coach us, so.
Is there any, is there any awkwardness, like, between you two?
awkwardness, you know, it's just like the same feeling, you know, when you're in high school, and there's another person on the other side of the room.
That's just kind of how it is, so I wouldn't say there's any awkwardness.
All right, so here is the fascinating piece of that all, right, Joe?
I don't mind J.J. McCarthy being competitive, right?
I don't think he should just give up on being the Vikings starting quarterback.
But the messaging, I feel like Kyler is, "Hey, we're teammates here."
Right?
"I've got some experience under my belt, and we're gonna attack this as Minnesota Vikings," okay?
I think J.J. McCarthy, this town ain't big enough for the both of us.
That's kind of the vibe I, I get here, Joe.
We'll get to the odds in a second, but I'm curious your reaction hearing how I at least feel different McCarthy and Murray sound when being talked about one another.
Well, I think Murray feels a- and knows in his heart he is the veteran, and he's accomplished much more in his NFL career than J.J. McCarthy up until this point, and he's confident in his ability.
On the flip side, you have J.J. McCarthy that took on this persona as nine and never lived up to the expectations.
Looked like a deer in the headlights.
Looked like potentially the stage was too big for hi- for his, you know, physical attributes.
And at times when you only throw for 50 and 60 yards in an NFL game, that's a- absolutely pathetic when you have the NFL's elite wide receiver in J.J. standing out there on each and every play, and you can't get him and deliver him the football.
And you had Jordan Addison, you had T.J. Hockenson, an above average tight end, and you couldn't throw for more than 100 yards in an NFL game is, is ridiculous.
So yeah, I think the pressure is on J.J. McCarthy to either put up or shut up.
But I still think Kyler right now, Kevin, gives this team the best opportunity to potentially challenge for an NFC North title and make the playoffs.
Let's not forget, we talked about how ridiculous it was that th- this team won, what, five games down the stretch to finish over 500?
That was a pretty good run by O'Connell with no quarterback play at the end of the regular season.
Y- yeah, that run, although, you know, you could say, oh, it cost the Vikings draft position, right?
Could they have, you know, given themselves an opportunity to, you know, make an impact, move somewhere else?
Y- yes, absolutely so.
But it kind of speaks to who the Vikings are in terms of a offensive play caller, defensive play caller combination that people are going to believe in.
And if they run up against teams that just don't have it, right, which is sometimes what you get at the end of a season, there were some good wins in there as well, but if you got just teams that just don't have it, Joe, you're gonna be able to take advantage o- of them, right?
And, and that's what Minnesota was able to do.
When I peel through the 2026 schedule here, it's an all right start.
Home against Green Bay, gonna be a tight line, right?
At Chicago, at Tampa Bay, tough but manageable.
Home against Miami, gonna be booked as a favorite.
I don't mean to look past New Orleans on the road, but a winnable game.
A nice early bye, and then you're home against Indianapolis.
Through those six games, first six, Joe, this should be at least a 500 football team based on the O'Connell-Flores history, maybe regardless of who the quarterback is, right?
And that really sets the stage for this Vikings team to be actually competitive in the NFC North.
