Kyler Murray Enters a Historically Boom or Bust Scenario For Vikings

While Kyler Murray is arguably the most talented quarterback to join a Kevin O’Connell-coached roster, the newest Minnesota Vikings’ signal caller enters historically troubled waters.

Murray, 28, at least knows of the history as a lifelong Vikings fan. He referenced Brett Favre coming up short in the 2009 season NFC Championship Game, and Murray wept over Favre’s interception.

Favre was among the many quarterbacks who joined the Vikings later in his career and had a significant impact as a starter for better or worse. Murray, who will compete for the starting job against J.J. McCarthy, could join this lineage that has driven mixed results with highs of NFC title game appearances and lows of losing seasons.

Vikings QB Carousel Has Turned Since 1993

GettyRandall Cunningham had a monster 1998 season.

The past 33 years have been particularly full of veteran quarterbacks revolving through the doors of the old Metrodome and now US Bank Stadium. In  1993, Jim McMahon became the quarterback after leaving  the Chicago Bears, and the oft-injured former Super Bowl champion led the Vikings to the playoffs but lost.

Next came Warren Moon in his departure from the former Houston Oilers for three seasons, and the Vikings only made one playoff game during that time despite big passing numbers from Moon. Randall Cunningham’s arrival in 1997 soon delivered the best season in Vikings history with a 15-1 season in 1998, but only to see it end on a missed field goal in the NFC Championship Game.

Jeff George came over from the then-Oakland Raiders in 1999 but couldn’t deliver similar results to Cunningham. After two draft picks —  Daunte Culpepper and the late Tavaris Jackson —  quarterbacked the Vikings for much of the 2000s, the retread cycle hit again in 2009 with Favre.

While Favre’s first season was a smash, his second cratered as quickly as the Metrodome roof in a 19-foot snowstorm during the 2010 season as the team went 6-10 despite Super Bowl aspirations. Donovan McNabb then tried to rescue his career in Minnesota during the 2011 season, but multiple blown 17-0 leads and incomplete passes led to his benching.

Vikings Kept Spinning Wheels After Brett Favre

GettyThe Vikings spent nearly a decade after Brett Favre searching for a longtime starter.

Matt Cassel tried to replicate his Kansas City Chiefs success in 2013 and 2014 with the Vikings but couldn’t, and the quarterback carousel took off again.  Then, there was Josh Freeman’s short-lived shot with the Vikings after a mistake-ridden Monday Night Football game in 2013.

Three years later, Sam Bradford, via a last-minute trade, tried to save the day after Teddy Bridgewater’s gruesome knee injury. Bradford struggled with a leaky offensive line in 2016 and a knee injury ended things in 2017.

However, 2017 turned into a magical season for the Vikings as journeyman backup quarterback Case Keenum led the team to the NFC Championship Game. Keenum threw the Minneapolis Miracle pass along the way, but the Vikings looked anything but like a team of destiny in an NFC title game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kirk Cousins’ $80-million free agent signing in 2017 was supposed to fix all of the contending Vikings’ woes. Instead, Cousins amounted to a pair of playoff appearances and only one win between 2019 and 2022.

Cousins rivaled or beat Culpepper’s passing numbers, but the former Michigan State star’s time ended with an Achilles injury in 2023. Then, Cousins left in free agency and hasn’t been the same since.

Cousin’s injury opened the door for veteran Josh Dobbs to shine in 2023. That only lasted a couple of games before teams keyed in on him, however.

Kyler Murray Could Achieve What Sam Darnold Didn’t

GettySam Darnold had a career year in 2024 but left in free agency and won a Super Bowl in Seattle.

Minnesota acquired Sam Darnold in 2024 as a potential bridge quarterback when McCarthy was drafted No. 10. Darnold took over during McCarthy’s meniscus surgery recovery and led the team to the playoffs with a 14-3 mark.

Instead of keeping Darnold after a career year, the Vikings let him walk in free agency to the Seattle Seahawks, where he won a Super Bowl in the 2025 season. Carson Wentz, meanwhile, in 2025 tried to revive his career when McCarthy went down again, but Wentz also went down with a torn labrum and is still viewed as a career backup despite his past draft status and hot start to his career.

Now, Murray gets his turn. He can either lead a great Vikings season, akin to 1998, 2009, or 2017. Or, he could swing and miss amid a career of ups and downs thus far and be another veteran quarterback who couldn’t lead the Vikings to glory.

Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Kyler Murray Enters a Historically Boom or Bust Scenario For Vikings appeared first on Heavy Sports.