Quarterbacking has started to become a major problem for the Minnesota Vikings. In their season opener against the Green Bay Packers, starting quarterback Kyler Murray went down with an injury. While the extent of the injury is unknown, backup quarterback Carson Wentz has replaced him, as Murray won’t return for the rest of the game on Sunday.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Murray suffered the injury during the first quarter. On third-and-7, Murray was scrambling outside the pocket. As he tried to gain a short amount of yardage, he was caught between the Packers defenders Javon Bullard and Lukas Van Ness.
The contact sent Murray to the turf, knocked his helmet off, and left him displaying a concerning response immediately after the collision. The quarterback struggled to get back to his feet and was helped off the field by Vikings trainers.
Subsequently, he was taken to the medical tent for evaluation before he eventually left for the locker room. As that happened, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Kyler Murray is being evaluated for a concussion. At the same time, however, the Vikings had not announced a definitive diagnosis during the initial reports.
However, the team later confirmed that Murray won’t return to play the rest of the game, as Wentz replaced him in the Week 1 matchup. The injury came after an already difficult start to Murray’s Vikings debut. His first pass as a Viking was intercepted by Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon, but that quickly became secondary to concerns about his health.
The Vikings had brought Murray in on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, considering JJ McCarthy’s injury-marred first two seasons. Subsequently, McCarthy and Murray battled for the starting quarterback role, with head coach Kevin O’Connell eventually handing the keys to the former Arizona Cardinals quarterback.
A former first-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn meniscus. The Vikings named him the starting quarterback in the 2025 season, yes. But the quarterback suffered multiple injuries, including a high ankle sprain (missed five games), a concussion, and a small hairline fracture in his throwing hand. He went just 6-4 as a starter last season in 10 starts.
Amid his injury concerns, the Vikings named Murray the starting quarterback, with Carson Wentz getting the backup role. McCarthy, meanwhile, was buried on the depth chart as a third-stringer. For now, though, Wentz is leading the Vikings’ offense as the team awaits an update on Murray. Murray completed 3-of-5 passes for 18 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception at the time of his injury.