Vikings’ JJ McCarthy earns serious praise for Friday performance vs. Kyler Murray

JJ McCarthy is on the pursuit of competing with Kyler Murray for the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback job ahead of the 2026 season.

McCarthy prepares for Year 3 of his career with the Vikings, while Murray starts a new chapter after moving on from the Arizona Cardinals. Both quarterbacks stand out from the position as the main contenders for the starting role, paving the way for an intriguing campaign for Minnesota.

ESPN reporter Dan Graziano attended one of Minnesota’s training camp sessions on Friday. Following the practice, Graziano revealed how the quarterbacks fared against one another while getting information from their fellow teammates.

“J.J. McCarthy was better today than Kyler Murray, but I don’t think that’s been the case consistently throughout camp. Message I came away with was everybody’s happy with how both guys have handled the situation. I actually talked to running back Aaron Jones after practice. He said the quarterback competition’s brought out the best in everybody, not just the quarterbacks, because they respect that it’s a real competition and that they have to work to make both guys better. So everything sounds pretty hunky dory. We’ll see how it goes when a decision is finally made,” Graziano said.

Wrapping up from Vikings camp, where McCarthy was probably better than Kyler today but everyone sounds happy with both of them overall. pic.twitter.com/36AMm7OjVL

— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) August 8, 2026

What lies ahead for JJ McCarthy, Vikings

The Vikings hope for a return to form as a contender from the NFC. Who they decide between JJ McCarthy and Kyler Murray will certainly make the difference.

McCarthy missed his rookie season due to an ACL injury. Making his debut in the 2025 campaign, he went 6-4 in his 10 starts. He completed 140 passes for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

The Vikings will hope to improve upon their 9-8 record from the previous season. They also intend to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence and end their three-year NFC North title drought.

Minnesota sees its campaign get underway at home, hosting the Chicago Bears. That matchup will commence on Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET.

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