The Minnesota Vikings have settled their quarterback competition for the start of the 2026 NFL season, naming Kyler Murray the starter and leaving J.J. McCarthy as the backup.
McCarthy still has a clear chance to make an early impression. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday that the second-year quarterback is “more than likely” to take the first snaps in Saturday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Joint practices with the Ravens have wrapped up, and former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber shared what stood out to him afterward. One detail in particular caught his attention: how much McCarthy’s teammates still support him even after he lost the starting job.
“It’s not just media coverage or a fallacy that [McCarthy is] well-liked,” Leber said on KFAN. “He really tries hard to be the leader that they want him to be. And I think it is reciprocated in a genuine fashion where guys like his enthusiasm. Guys just like him.”
Last season McCarthy played 310 pass snaps and earned a 61.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus. He finished with 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.
Leber pointed to the extra effort McCarthy has put into connecting with teammates as a big reason the locker room has stayed behind him. That bond showed itself clearly when McCarthy ended a recent joint practice with a touchdown pass and the players around him reacted with genuine excitement.
“You can see the way that he’s intentionally been inclusive with the offseason stuff, whether it’s throwing with guys, having private throwing sessions, whether it’s just having guys over to the house or organizing off-the-field things, whether it’s going, having a suite at the [Minnesota] Wild game and inviting all the players,” Leber said.
“So when he makes one of the best throws I’ve seen him make in practice, or really even in a game, in that two-minute drive where he did put a little bit of touch on a pretty hard throw over the middle of the field to Myles Price in that two-minute drill, where he did have to go over an intermediate defender.
“The ball had to travel over him, and then it had to get there with velocity because it was a tight throw to fit in this window. To see those guys react the way they did, it just shows you that he’s doing things the right way in the locker room.”
While McCarthy waits for his next chance, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy remains convinced the young quarterback’s story is far from finished.
“I’m still a J.J. McCarthy guy,” Portnoy said. “Kyler Murray’s super talented. We’ll see how it goes… Anybody who prepares and loves football as much as he does and has the track record and the pedigree, is his career done in Minnesota?
“Listen, guys get hurt all the time in the NFL. Maybe he’ll be back in Minnesota. He’ll definitely have another starting job, whether it’s in Minnesota or not. He says he loves it there… J.J. McCarthy’s career is far from over. So, what does J.J. McCarthy’s future in Minnesota look like? That I don’t know. I mean, he’s gonna start here again for sure.”
McCarthy’s ability to stay ready and keep the respect of the room could matter a great deal if Murray struggles or if injuries open the door.
For now the Vikings plan to start Murray, but they have made it clear that McCarthy will get significant preseason work beginning Saturday night. That first series against the Ravens will give the young quarterback a chance to show whether the work he has put in with teammates and the confidence they still have in him can translate into on-field results.
