Kyler Murray has found a new home, at least for a year. The former Arizona Cardinals quarterback has joined the Minnesota Vikings. The 28-year-old on Thursday celebrated the move with a post on Instagram. ‘SKOL’ he wrote in the caption.
This comes after Murray visited Minnesota to discuss a potential move, only days after being released. The Cardinals cut Murray when the new league year began Wednesday, despite owing him $36.8 million in guaranteed salary for this season.
JJ McCarthy warned
The Vikings have been exploring new options at quarterback as questions continue to surround the development of McCarthy, their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Injuries and inconsistent play have complicated his early career, raising concerns about how long the team can wait for him to fully establish himself as the starter.
{{/usCountry}}The Vikings have been exploring new options at quarterback as questions continue to surround the development of McCarthy, their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Injuries and inconsistent play have complicated his early career, raising concerns about how long the team can wait for him to fully establish himself as the starter.
{{/usCountry}}McCarthy missed his entire rookie season while recovering from knee surgery and then struggled to stay on the field in 2025. An ankle sprain, a concussion and a broken hand limited him to just 10 starts, with only eight games completed. Even when healthy, accuracy issues were noticeable enough that Minnesota began considering whether additional competition might be necessary.
Last season, the Vikings relied on Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer as backups, but neither provided long-term stability behind McCarthy. As a result, head coach Kevin O’Connell and the front office have acknowledged the need to strengthen the quarterback room heading into the 2026 season.
Murray gives them the option. Despite injuries and criticism of his preparation habits over the years, he remains a highly accomplished quarterback. The former Oklahoma star won the Heisman Trophy before entering the NFL and quickly made an impact, earning the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl twice and has posted a 67 percent career completion rate while adding significant value as a runner with 3,193 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.
Murray produced several memorable moments during his early seasons with Arizona, including the famous “Hail Murray” in 2020 when he connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a dramatic game-winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. The following year he threw for 400 yards in a Week 2 victory over the Vikings and helped Arizona start the season 10–2 before finishing 11–6.
That success led the Cardinals to sign Murray to a five-year, $230.5 million contract in 2022, including $160 million in guaranteed money. However, the relationship between Murray and the organization soon became strained. Shortly after the deal was finalized, Arizona removed a controversial clause that required the quarterback to complete four hours of “independent study” during game weeks, a provision that sparked widespread debate about his work ethic.
Murray’s tenure with the Cardinals was further disrupted by injuries. He suffered a torn ACL late in the 2022 season, which forced him to miss a large portion of the 2023 schedule as the franchise transitioned to a new coaching staff under Jonathan Gannon.
(With AP inputs)