Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell Stays Mum on QB Starter in Awkward Interview

This week at the American Century Championship, Dan Patrick tried his hardest to catch Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell napping. 

The Minnesota Vikings will have every eye in the NFL watching their quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy unfold, but O’Connell wasn’t taking the bait when asked if the open competition was truly open on The Dan Patrick Show. 

“I’m not really familiar with a closed competition, “ O’Connell laughed. “Here’s what I would say–the goal going into this offseason was elevating the quarterback position.”

“The best way to achieve that is to have a daily attempt of guys to push each other. Not just always need the outside noise or what the narratives may be…Kyler has come in and done a great job, J.J. has benefited from it, and he had a great spring.”

O’Connell was then jokingly mocked for his planned answers, as Patrick then took a turn himself for how O’Connell should’ve answered the question.

Kevin O’Connell is Not Playing Games When it Comes to the QB Battle

The Vikings have already said the quarterback battle will continue into training camp and potentially even longer. While most thought that Murray would have already wrapped up the job by now, it seems as though the Vikings still need to see more. Every week that a starter isn’t named, the outside noise gets louder, but O’Connell and the players aren’t listening. 

“We are in a world where you find out very quickly that you have to be a grown up in the NFL,” said O’Connell. “They’ve handled it well. We have a good plan in place to try and make sure we allow this thing to get to a place where we feel good about it.”

While he was playfully chided for his ‘coach-speak,’ O’Connell still refused to give up any sort of inside information about the battle. Near the end of the interview, Patrick threw a Hail Mary in an attempt to get anything out of the Vikings head coach. 

“I think Kyler will do a good job as your starter,” Patrick said flatly. An awkward five-second pause followed until O’Connell replied with a simple message. “Go Vikings.”

Former Viking Adam Thielen Dishes on the Quarterback Competition

Although Murray remains the clear favorite, McCarthy still has plenty of supporters, including from his former teammate Adam Thielen. Thielen discussed his thoughts on McCarthy and the Vikings this week, saying the current situation is a win-win for both parties. 

“From an outsider’s perspective, it’s really exciting, and I say that for a few reasons,” Thielen said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I think, number one, it’s a win-win for Minnesota. They’re not paying him anything, first of all. So if it doesn’t work out, so be it. They’re back to square one anyway.

“I think, number two, it’s a win-win because it gives J.J. McCarthy perspective. It gives him competition. It gives him another veteran, a quality starter in this league who has proved it, to compete with.

McCarthy is coming off a rocky debut season and is already potentially on his way out of Minnesota if Murray succeeds in 2026. Still, the fact that the competition has been extended in August bodes well for his future, either in Minnesota or elsewhere. 

Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell Stays Mum on QB Starter in Awkward Interview appeared first on HEAVY.