Booger McFarland: J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings Story Is ‘Just Beginning’ Despite Losing Starting Job to Kyler Murray
J.J. McCarthy is no longer the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback. Head coach Kevin O’Connell handed the job to Kyler Murray on Tuesday, ending a training camp competition that had shadowed the Vikings’ offseason since Minnesota signed the veteran in March.
ESPN NFL analyst Booger McFarland isn’t ready to close the book on McCarthy. Speaking on a recent segment of NFL on ESPN, McFarland argued the benching is a setback, not a verdict.
“I think if you’re JJ number one, this is just a setback. This is not the end of the story,” McFarland said. “I think we’ve seen several quarterbacks, like Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Geno Smith, that things didn’t always go well initially and now they’re starting quarterbacks in the National Football League.
Why the Vikings Made the Switch
The numbers tell part of the story. McCarthy started 10 games as a rookie starter in 2025, completing 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, according to Eleven Warriors. He also missed his entire rookie season in 2024 with a torn meniscus, then lost time in 2025 to ankle and hand injuries.
Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, signed a one-year deal with Minnesota in March after Arizona released him. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Murray quickly grasped O’Connell’s offense during camp, showing an accuracy and poise that separated him from McCarthy in the competition. O’Connell announced the decision Tuesday, with the Vikings set to open the regular season at home against Green Bay on Sept. 13.
The pick puts Minnesota into unfamiliar territory. Per the Star Tribune, the Vikings will open the 2026 season with their fourth different starting quarterback in as many years — a run that includes Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Sam Darnold and now Murray.
McCarthy’s Response
McCarthy did not push back publicly. Speaking to reporters this week, he called the benching a “speed bump” and said Minnesota remains “the place I want to be,” per the Star Tribune. “I love every single person in this building. I love the state. I love the fanbase,” he added.
McCarthy is only 23 and has made just 10 career starts. He’s under contract with the Vikings through the 2028 season, which limits his trade value even if Minnesota wanted to move on. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported that O’Connell told McCarthy he’s “holding the pen on his story” and that the team plans to support his development, according to Larry Brown Sports.
The McFarland Comparison
McFarland’s argument leans on precedent. Mayfield bounced between four teams before locking down the job in Tampa Bay. Darnold struggled for years with the Jets and Panthers before resurrecting his career in Minnesota in 2024. Smith spent most of a decade as a backup before winning the starting job in Seattle. All three are examples McFarland has pointed to as proof that a rocky start doesn’t define a quarterback’s career.
McFarland also floated a numbers-based case for opportunity. “The number was like 64 or 65 quarterbacks played last year, so the likelihood of him playing this season is really high,” he said, framing McCarthy’s path back to the field as more a matter of when than if. That’s speculation on McFarland’s part, not a guarantee — Murray, barring injury or a significant slump, is Minnesota’s Week 1 starter.
What’s Next
McCarthy gets his first game action of the summer Saturday when the Vikings open the preseason at the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, with kickoff set for noon CT. It’s a low-stakes setting, but one McCarthy said he’s “extremely excited” for, according to NBC Sports.
For now, McCarthy’s path back to a starting job runs through backup snaps, practice reps and whatever opportunity Murray’s health or performance might eventually open up. Whether that happens in Minnesota or somewhere else remains unclear.
