The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation during the offseason was always going to be awkward. After J.J. McCarthy struggled last season, Minnesota responded by signing Kyler Murray to start a battle for the starting quarterback position.
As of now, Murray is widely viewed as the favorite to win the starting job, and McCarthy’s first public comments on the situation did nothing to change that perception.
Shannon Sharpe Takes Issue With J.J. McCarthy’s Comments About Kyler Murray
When both quarterbacks spoke to reporters after the Vikings’ first OTA practice, the difference in their approach was quite visible. Murray described his early relationship with McCarthy warmly, calling it “great” and offering to share knowledge with his younger teammate.
McCarthy, on the other hand, went a different direction entirely. “It’s just like two guys in a classroom. He sits on one side, and I sit on the other side, and it’s the coaches’ responsibility to teach us and coach us,” he said about the relationship with Murray.
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe didn’t like the third-year quarterback’s comments and, during a segment on “Nightcap,” placed the blame squarely on McCarthy’s own performance.
“It’s his fault. Had you played better, Kyler Murray’s services would not have been needed,” Sharpe said. “The mere fact that they got Kyler Murray in there tells you everything you need to know, J.J. McCarthy. Don’t be mad at the coach, be mad at you. Your play brought this on… and guess where you’re going to be? He is going to be on the field, you’re going to be sitting on the bench.”
Sharpe then brought up that the Vikings parted ways with Sam Darnold to prioritize McCarthy, but the Michigan product wasn’t able to hold up his end of the bargain.
“That’s going to be really awkward because what they did is that they moved on from a guy that threw 30-something touchdowns [Darnold] and had them 14-3, and they moved on and left your a** there,” Sharpe added. “Now he goes to another team and wins the Super Bowl, and now guess what? They’re stuck like in an elevator with a bad song, and you’re the bad song, and they’re the elevator.”
The optics here matter because Murray handled his media availability like an eight-year veteran who has been through enough adversity to understand how words travel. McCarthy, fairly or not, came across as frustrated, and everyone noticed it.
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None of this means McCarthy can’t win the job. However, Murray will bring proven stability to an offense loaded with players such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, and T.J. Hockenson, all operating behind Brian Flores’ top-tier defense, which, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, ranked fourth in the league last season.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system helped turn Darnold into an MVP candidate, and it could do the same for Murray if he’s given the keys. As a result, it will be interesting to see how both quarterbacks handle the next few months.
