It may be over for J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota.
On “Get Up” Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed the Vikings quarterback situation and said that when a franchise legend in Adam Thielen says the starting job is likely Kyler Murray’s, that’s likely going to be the truth.
“When Adam Thielen says that, then you have to assume that it’s Kyler Murray’s job to lose,” Schefter said. “You have to assume that he’s [Murray] going to win the job unless we start hearing reports in training camp about how good J.J. McCarthy looks, how far he’s come along… until we start hearing those types of things, comments from coaches about J.J McCarthy stepping up and responding to the challenge and showing maturity… it sounds like Kyler Murray is gonna be the guy.”
During an ESPN appearance Monday night, Thielen said though it’s Murray’s job to lose currently, not all hope should be lost for McCarthy.
“If J.J. comes and shows up and shows exactly what he wasn’t doing well last year… At the end of the day, they drafted him in the first round. They want him to have success. So if he comes and shows it, he can win that job,” Thielen said.
Former Broncos corner Domonique Foxworth also said if Kyler Murray plays well this season, “then it’s over for J.J. McCarthy there”
Before training camp Tuesday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about the team’s quarterback competition, and said both quarterbacks will have the chance to prove themselves.
“Both Kyler and J.J. will take reps with the first team,” O’Connell told reporters. “They’ll also take reps with the second group, and I think that gives different layers to the evaluation as well.”
Even if O’Connell won’t admit it, it makes sense why Murray may have the upper hand in the competition.
Though Murray was never a spectacular quarterback over his seven years with the Cardinals, he was rarely a liability and at minimum provided value as a runner.
Across seven years in Arizona, Murray threw 121 touchdowns and ran for 32 more while helping guide the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021.
McCarthy missed all of 2024 with a knee injury and was a mixed bag his first season starting in 2025, tossing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
But he was 6-4 as a starter and the Vikings were 9-8 overall when his season ended because of a hairline fracture in his hand after a January win over the Packers.
