The Minnesota Vikings have named veteran Kyler Murray their starting quarterback for 2026, pushing J.J. McCarthy back into a backup role early in his career. Here’s what the young QB said about the decision. 

“Look, a decision was made that was out of my control, and obviously every competitor wants to play,” said McCarthy as he addressed the media during Minnesota’s training camp on August 12. “But moving forward, it’s just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number’s called.

“Obviously disappointed. I’m a competitor. But at the end of the day, you know, it’s in the past, and I’m moving on to the next practice, the next rep, the same mindset I had going into it, and focusing on the Giants this week.”

McCarthy is not wasting his time brooding over the missed opportunity as the Vikings face off against the New York Giants on August 15.

Ever since Minnesota traded up from 11th overall to 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft to select McCarthy, it has been a rough ride for him in the NFL. He missed his rookie season due to a torn meniscus after a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. While he started strong in 2025, he could only start 10 games due to multiple injuries. McCarthy is yet to live up to that “No. 1 pick” hype.

But McCarthy is looking forward and focused on building a career at Minnesota after some reassurance from the head coach.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Kevin O’Connell said at a presser, responding to a question about whether McCarthy still has a future in Minnesota. “We’re going to support him and try to just help him continue to improve. He’s got to also understand this isn’t just a long-term mindset. But it could be an immediate response needed.”

McCarthy went 6-4 as the Vikings’ starter last season, missing seven games due to injuries. Minnesota later brought in Murray on a one-year contract in March, who brought seven years of experience to the table. It was always assumed that Murray had the upper hand in the fight.

It might seem like McCarthy has become an expendable option for Minnesota. If Murray has a great year in the O’Connell system, he could be around for the future too, putting McCarthy on the bench for longer. Trades and other suggestions quickly made their rounds online, but McCarthy doesn’t plan on going anywhere (at least now).

“Like I said before, you know, this is a place I want to be, and I love every single person in this building,” he said. “I love this state. I love the fan base, and I’m gonna continue to just do whatever I can for this team, this organization.”