The Minnesota Vikings didn't wait for a single preseason snap to settle their quarterback question. Head coach Kevin O'Connell informed the team Tuesday that Kyler Murray, not JJ McCarthy, will start under center to open the season, a call that comes just days before Minnesota's preseason opener against the Giants and roughly a month before the games that count.
The QB Battle That Dominated This Country Is Finally Over - Kyler Murray Is QB1 For The Vikings, JJ McCarthy Back To The Bench https://t.co/d4B2ZVWgyT
Murray landing in Minnesota was already a plot twist. He signed a 1-year, $1.3 million deal with the Vikings in March after Arizona released him, with the Cardinals still on the hook for $35.5 million of his money. That's a steep discount for a former MVP-caliber talent, and it gave O'Connell every incentive to see what Murray could do with a real training camp behind him. McCarthy, meanwhile, was supposed to be the long-term answer after Minnesota drafted him in the first round, but his rookie season was rough by any measure, and O'Connell has now confirmed he's slotted in as the backup.
The QB carousel in Minnesota has been dizzying, and Barstool's own rundown of Justin Jefferson's career quarterbacks captures just how chaotic it's been. Kirk Cousins, Sean Mannion, Nick Mullens, Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall, Sam Darnold, McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and now Murray have all thrown him passes.
Not everyone in the Barstool building is treating this as a coin flip. On the Yak, one host went as far as calling Murray the best athlete of his generation while breaking down what he brings to the position.
A host on the Barstool Yak podcast calls Kyler Murray 'the best athlete of our lifetime' while discussing his fit with the Vikings.
McCarthy's side of the story is a lot less flattering, and Barstool's crew has been ruthless about it. A resurfaced Yak clip has a co-host flatly declaring McCarthy 'done' — an old prediction that's aging in real time now that the bench is official.
A resurfaced Barstool Yak clip with a co-host bluntly predicting JJ McCarthy is 'done,' now being called back to after the QB decision.
For McCarthy, this is a steep fall for a player who was drafted to be the franchise cornerstone. For Murray, it's a fresh shot at relevance after Arizona moved on. With Minnesota opening the real season against Green Bay on September 13, Murray now has about a month of first-team reps to prove the Vikings made the right call — and to give Jefferson yet another quarterback story to tell.