JJ McCarthy Says Losing Vikings QB Job to Kyler Murray Was ‘Out of My Control’
JJ McCarthy didn’t get the news he wanted this week. But he didn’t duck the cameras, either.
A day after the Minnesota Vikings named Kyler Murray their starting quarterback for 2026, McCarthy faced reporters at training camp in Eagan and addressed the decision directly. He didn’t hide his disappointment. He didn’t fight it, either.
“Obviously, every competitor wants to play,” McCarthy said Wednesday. “But moving forward, it’s just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number’s called.”
Head coach Kevin O’Connell made the call Tuesday, ending a training camp competition that had split first-team reps between the two quarterbacks for weeks. Murray gets the job. McCarthy moves to backup.
McCarthy Explains What He Meant by ‘Out of My Control’
McCarthy leaned on one phrase throughout his session with reporters: out of his control. Pressed on what exactly he meant by that, he gave an answer that mixed frustration with philosophy.
“There’s so many things out of my control, like the heat today,” McCarthy said. “And it’s just really having the discernment to figure out which of the two [quarterbacks]. And that was one of the things outside of my control and me attacking and optimizing every opportunity which was in my control and that’s all I was focusing on.”
It’s a notable shift in tone. Earlier in camp, McCarthy had said he expected the competition to be judged fairly and that he’d get a legitimate shot. On Wednesday, fairness wasn’t the framing anymore. Control was.
A Rough Start to McCarthy’s NFL Career
The decision caps a difficult stretch for the 2024 first-round pick. Minnesota traded up to grab McCarthy at No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he tore his meniscus in his first preseason game, wiping out his entire rookie year.
He got his shot in 2025. It came with an asterisk — ankle and hand injuries limited him to 10 starts, and the results were uneven. According to ESPN, Minnesota went 6-4 in those starts, but the team still missed the playoffs.
| Category | JJ McCarthy (2025) |
|---|---|
| Starts | 10 |
| Completion % | Under 58% |
| Passing Yards | 1,632 |
| Touchdowns | 11 |
| Interceptions | 12 |
| Team Record in Starts | 6-4 |
Murray brought a very different résumé to the competition. Minnesota signed the former No. 1 overall pick in March after Arizona released him, and O’Connell said Murray had done enough over the spring and camp to win the job outright. O’Connell pointed to both what Murray has already shown and what he could still become in Minnesota’s offense.
Why O’Connell Went With Experience
The math here isn’t complicated. Murray has 87 career NFL starts. McCarthy has 10, and half of those came with a hand or ankle that wasn’t fully right. O’Connell needed stability at the position after three years of shuffling starters, and camp reps reportedly reinforced the experience gap rather than closing it.
That doesn’t mean the door is shut on McCarthy for good. Injuries have hit the Vikings’ quarterback room hard the last several seasons, and Carson Wentz remains on the roster as a third arm — a wrinkle that could still shape how the depth chart looks once the regular season arrives.
What’s Next for McCarthy
McCarthy is set to get real playing time Saturday when the Vikings open the preseason against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. It’s his first game action since tearing his meniscus in last year’s preseason opener, and it’s a chance to show the coaching staff — and the fan base — where he stands heading into a backup role.
For now, McCarthy says he isn’t going anywhere by choice. “This is the place I want to be,” he said, adding that he loves the organization, the state and the fans regardless of how the quarterback competition shook out.
Minnesota opens the regular season at home against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13, then travels to face the Chicago Bears the following week.
