EAGAN, Minn. — Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on Tuesday named Kyler Murray the team's starting quarterback for the 2026 season after the newcomer battled J.J. McCarthy for the job this spring and in training camp.
Murray, who celebrated his 29th birthday Friday, was signed to a 1-year contract by Minnesota in March following seven seasons and 87 starts for Arizona, which selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019.
Murray was The Associated Press' Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he was voted to the Pro Bowl in his second and third seasons. He has passed for 20,460 yards and 121 touchdowns against 60 interceptions, and he's rushed for 3,193 yards (6.0 avg.) and 32 scores, making him one of 13 QBs in history with 20,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards (one of four active players alongside Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers). Murray's career completion percentage is 67.1, and his passer rating is 92.2.
McCarthy was chosen by Minnesota with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He suffered a torn meniscus during the preseason of his rookie year, sidelining him from valuable developmental time. McCarthy started 10 games in 2025, despite battling multiple injuries (high-ankle sprain, hand and concussion), passing for 11 touchdowns and rushing for four. The Vikings went 6-4 in games he started.
The competition, which ran for about three months, gave Murray a runway to learn Minnesota's offensive system and allowed McCarthy, 23, to improve certain aspects of his game. Both players have encountered tough practice circumstances, facing a Brian Flores-led defense that has been one of the best in the NFL the past two years and is known for complicating the life of opposing quarterbacks.
View photos of the Vikings roster as of Aug. 7, 2026.
0 LB Ivan Pace Jr.
0 LB Ivan Pace Jr.
1 QB Kyler Murray
1 QB Kyler Murray
2 CB Isaiah Rodgers
2 CB Isaiah Rodgers
3 WR Jordan Addison
3 WR Jordan Addison
4 WR Myles Price
4 WR Myles Price
5 P Johnny Hekker
5 P Johnny Hekker
6 CB Dwight McGlothern
6 CB Dwight McGlothern
7 CB Byron Murphy Jr.
7 CB Byron Murphy Jr.
8 S Jakobe Thomas
8 S Jakobe Thomas
9 QB J.J. McCarthy
9 QB J.J. McCarthy
11 QB Carson Wentz
11 QB Carson Wentz
12 QB Max Brosmer
12 QB Max Brosmer
13 WR Tai Felton
13 WR Tai Felton
14 WR Jauan Jennings
14 WR Jauan Jennings
15 OLB Dallas Turner
15 OLB Dallas Turner
16 K Will Reichard
16 K Will Reichard
17 RB Jordan Mims
17 RB Jordan Mims
18 WR Justin Jefferson
18 WR Justin Jefferson
19 WR Dontae Fleming
19 WR Dontae Fleming
20 CB Charles Demmings
20 CB Charles Demmings
21 RB Demond Claiborne
21 RB Demond Claiborne
23 CB James Pierre
23 CB James Pierre
24 S Jay Ward
24 S Jay Ward
25 S Kahlef Hailassie
25 S Kahlef Hailassie
26 S Theo Jackson
26 S Theo Jackson
27 RB Jordan Mason
27 RB Jordan Mason
28 CB Tyreek Chappell
28 CB Tyreek Chappell
29 CB Marcus Allen
29 CB Marcus Allen
30 WR Trayvon Rudolph
31 WR Marcus Sanders Jr.
31 WR Marcus Sanders Jr.
32 LB Jamal Adams
32 LB Jamal Adams
33 RB Aaron Jones Sr.
33 RB Aaron Jones Sr.
34 CB Zemaiah Vaughn
34 CB Zemaiah Vaughn
36 RB Zavier Scott
36 RB Zavier Scott
37 S Tavierre Thomas
37 S Tavierre Thomas
38 CB Da'Veawn Armstead
38 CB Da'Veawn Armstead
39 S Jacob Thomas
39 S Jacob Thomas
40 WR Terrill Davis
40 WR Terrill Davis
41 LB Jake Golday
41 LB Jake Golday
42 LS Andrew DePaola
42 LS Andrew DePaola
43 OLB Andrew Van Ginkel
43 OLB Andrew Van Ginkel
44 S Joshua Metellus
44 S Joshua Metellus
45 FB Max Bredeson
45 FB Max Bredeson
46 WR Michael Briscoe
46 WR Michael Briscoe
47 P Brett Thorson
47 P Brett Thorson
48 LB Jacob Roberts
48 LB Jacob Roberts
49 OLB Cam'Ron Stewart
49 OLB Cam'Ron Stewart
50 DL Levi Drake Rodriguez
50 DL Levi Drake Rodriguez
51 LB Blake Cashman
51 LB Blake Cashman
52 LB Josh Ross
52 LB Josh Ross
55 LB Eric Wilson
55 LB Eric Wilson
56 OLB Arden Walker
56 OLB Arden Walker
57 OLB Chaz Chambliss
57 OLB Chaz Chambliss
58 C Gavin Gerhardt
58 C Gavin Gerhardt
59 LB Kamara Bangally
59 LB Kamara Bangally
60 G Joe Huber
60 G Joe Huber
61 DL Jalen Redmond
61 DL Jalen Redmond
62 OL Delby Lemieux
62 OL Delby Lemieux
63 OL Tristan Leigh
63 OL Tristan Leigh
64 C Blake Brandel
64 C Blake Brandel
65 C Michael Jurgens
65 C Michael Jurgens
66 G Vershon Lee
66 G Vershon Lee
67 OL Tomas Rimac
67 OL Tomas Rimac
68 G Henry Byrd
68 G Henry Byrd
69 DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
69 DL Isaiahh Loudermilk
71 T Christian Darrisaw
71 T Christian Darrisaw
72 T Ryan Van Demark
72 T Ryan Van Demark
73 T Walter Rouse
73 T Walter Rouse
74 G Donovan Jackson
74 G Donovan Jackson
75 T Brian O'Neill
75 T Brian O'Neill
76 G Will Fries
76 G Will Fries
78 OL Caleb Tiernan
78 OL Caleb Tiernan
81 TE Marshall Lang
82 WR Jeshaun Jones
82 WR Jeshaun Jones
83 TE Bryson Nesbit
83 TE Bryson Nesbit
84 TE Josh Oliver
84 TE Josh Oliver
85 TE Ben Yurosek
85 TE Ben Yurosek
86 TE Gavin Bartholomew
86 TE Gavin Bartholomew
87 TE T.J. Hockenson
87 TE T.J. Hockenson
89 WR Dillon Bell
89 WR Dillon Bell
90 DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
90 DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
91 DL Smith Vilbert
91 DL Smith Vilbert
92 OLB Tyler Batty
92 OLB Tyler Batty
93 DL Eric Johnson II
93 DL Eric Johnson II
94 DL Taki Taimani
94 DL Taki Taimani
95 DL Caleb Banks
95 DL Caleb Banks
96 DL Jahvaree Ritzie
97 Domonique Orange
97 Domonique Orange
98 OLB Bo Richter
98 OLB Bo Richter
99 DL Elijah Williams
99 DL Elijah Williams
CB Jarod Washington
CB Jarod Washington
Murray has the distinction of being the only athlete ever selected in the Top 10 of the NFL and MLB Drafts (the Athletics picked him 9th overall in 2018), and he is widely considered as one of the greatest prep football players of all time, accumulating a perfect 42-0 record at Allen High School in Texas. Murray starred in college at Oklahoma, after transferring from Texas A&M, and won the 2018 Heisman Trophy.
Last season, Murray was limited to five games due to a mid-foot sprain. He compiled a 38-48-1 (.443) record for Arizona since 2019; the Cardinals were 5-25 (.167) in games Murray missed in that timeframe.
2026 Vikings Training Camp
Vikings Training Camp will take place at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center. Tickets are now available!
Two of Murray's strengths are his accuracy and athleticism. He owns a 77.0 on-target pass percentage per Pro Football Reference, which ranks 11th among players with at least 2,000 attempts stretching back to his debut season. Also, he's accounted for 179 first downs with his feet, good for the fourth most at his position since 2019 (Allen, Jackson and Jalen Hurts are head and shoulders above everyone with 362, 351 and 329). Furthermore, Murray's 28 rushes for 20 or more yards in that span are tied with Hurts for the third most among quarterbacks, and T-14th regardless of position; Vikings RB Aaron Jones, Sr., has 29.
Visit 2026 Vikings Training Camp.
See the Vikings 2026 Schedule.
View future opponents for the Vikings.
Buy single game tickets.
Download the official Vikings App.
See more about the 2028 NFL Draft in Minnesota.
