Former Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Adam Thielen recently weighed in on the Vikings’ quarterback situation as training camp gets underway, offering a straightforward assessment of the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy.
Thielen appeared on “NFL Live” and made clear where he believes the job currently stands while also explaining why the battle itself could ultimately help the young passer develop.
“I think it’s Kyler Murray’s job right now,” Thielen said. “But if J.J. McCarthy comes in and shows what he wasn’t doing well last year, he could win that job. First of all, when you see J.J. in person and you’re around him, you want to be around him.”
Thielen — who spent some time with McCarthy during his second stint in Minnesota last season — made it abundantly clear that he loves the young quarterback as a person.
“He’s a great leader [and] fun to be around. He’s just a guy that everyone loves,” Thielen added. “At the end of the day, they drafted him in the first round, and they want him to have success. So if he comes in and shows it, he could win that job. But right now, it’s Kyler’s job.”
Murray arrived in Minnesota after being released by the Arizona Cardinals this offseason, giving the veteran a chance to prove he remains a starting-caliber quarterback. McCarthy is still early in his career and looking to establish himself as the long-term answer under center. Thielen sees the presence of an experienced competitor as a positive force for the younger player.
“You bring in a guy who has had a ton of success in this league,” Thielen noted. “He has experience, and now it takes the keys away from J.J. McCarthy. He has to go earn it now.
“Last year, he didn’t have to earn it. That’s not his fault, but he didn’t have to earn it. He was handed the keys. Here’s your team. We’ve got a great defense. You’ve got great weapons. Let’s see what happens. Now it’s like, ‘Okay, we have competition.’ He knows from last year what he needs to get better at.”
The Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie campaign due to a knee injury. He then dealt with various injuries last season and played in just 10 games, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Surely, Minnesota has not entirely given up on McCarthy just yet, and it only signed Murray to a one-year deal after his release from from the Cardinals. But that doesn’t mean the clock isn’t ticking.
Remember: McCarthy is technically entering his third NFL season, so he’ll need to show the Vikings something to demonstrate he is worth keeping around for his fifth-year option in 2028.
Whether or not the University of Michigan product will get an opportunity to prove himself this fall will largely depend on how Murray performs this season.
