The Minnesota Vikings are having a QB battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy to determine their starter for the 2026 NFL season. Nonetheless, many expect Murray to come out on top in this competition.
Murray will look to prove he can still be a starting QB in the NFL, despite the Arizona Cardinals cutting ties with him this offseason. During his time with the Arizona Cardinals, Murray posted a 92.2 passer rating with 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns, and 60 interceptions in 87 games, per StatMuse.
Ahead of his first season in Minnesota, Austen Bundy of FanSided predicts that Murray will be one of the candidates vying for the Comeback Player of the Year award.
“Should Murray fail to win the Minnesota Vikings‘ QB1 job this summer, his candidacy will take a significant blow,” Bundy wrote in a June 29 article.
“The only path back would be for J.J. McCarthy to be benched early enough for Murray to lead the team to a deep playoff run. That being said, if Murray can do that, he should be able to do it from Week 1.”
Why Kyler Murray Could Win Comeback Player of the Year Award
Moreover, Bundy wrote that he believes Murray is a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award, citing the track record Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has with QBs in the past.
“The Vikings also seem to be quarterback rehab central,” Bundy added in his article. “Kirk Cousins saw multiple Pro Bowl campaigns after being rejected from Washington and Sam Darnold kicked off his eventual Super Bowl ascension with Seattle as the starter in Minneapolis the year before. Will Murray be the next to write a chapter at Minnesota’s QB haven?”
Along with having O’Connell as his head coach, Murray will also have the weapons on offense to put up numbers. The Vikings QB will have arguably the best wideout in the league in Justin Jefferson, along with Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings as his WR2 and WR3.
Furthermore, in the middle of the field, the Vikings are hopeful that T.J. Hockenson can have a bounce-back season and be a big target for Murray.
Vikings Might Have Darkhorse MVP Candidate
While Bundy is talking about Murray potentially winning Comeback Player of the Year, Kay Adams believes the Vikings QB could do much more than just win that honor this season.
On the June 18 edition of “Up & Adams,” Adams floated a take, stating that Murray has all the tools to be a dark-horse MVP this upcoming 2026 NFL season.
“Kyler Murray has all the potential in the world,” Adams said. “I’ve said it since he came into the league. There’s not a bigger ceiling or a higher ceiling for anybody. I’ve always been a big believer in Kyler’s talent. He’s got the tools. He’s got a top-three receiver and one of the best play callers in the game.”
There’s no denying that Murray has the potential to be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Still, it’s all about him putting everything together, and that’s where the Vikings hope that being with O’Connell can help him reach that potential.
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