The quarterback competition for the Minnesota Vikings ended when Kyler Murray was named the Week 1 starter on August 11, edging J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. He will face a test when the Vikings host their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, for their season opener.
Though Murray is a Pro Bowler and was once the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, a two-time Super Bowl champion isn’t convinced that the quarterback can transform the Vikings into contenders. His reason? Murray’s physical limitations.
LeSean McCoy Treats Kyler Murray’s Height and Size as a Red Flag
The Vikings may have high hopes for Murray, who played his first seven NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Conversely, Murray could be motivated to play at his best because he is on a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Minnesota. While he is capable of playing superb football, former NFL running back LeSean McCoy doesn’t see it happening.
“So, when I watch Kyler Murray, I see a guy who has a lot of talent but is undersized and little. He’s a little dude. He’s playing a big man’s sport, and he’s tiny,” McCoy said on “Speakeasy.”
“It’s not Jalen Brunson we’re talking about. It’s not basketball; it’s football,” McCoy added. “And for you to have the leader of your team to be what, 5’11”? He’s my height at quarterback? Come on, man. I just don’t believe in him.”
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Murray’s height, officially measured at 5′ 10 1/8″ during the 2019 NFL Combine, makes it difficult for him to see past tall and bulky linemen. Hence, he tends to scramble when the original play isn’t going according to plan.
Likewise, his lightweight frame makes it easier for defensive players to knock him down or, worse, injure him. No wonder Murray has played all the games in only three of seven regular seasons with Arizona. Even when he is healthy and available, the versatile Murray led the Cardinals to only one playoff appearance.
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The Vikings still signed Murray despite Murray playing in only five games for the Cardinals last season due to a foot injury. His availability in so few games left him out of the PFN’s QB Impact Metric, on which McCarthy ranked as the fifth-worst quarterback in the league.
But even if Murray looked healthy throughout the offseason, McCoy still isn’t sold that the two-time Pro Bowler will solve the Vikings’ quarterback conundrum.
“You know, there’s going to be a time when you’re going to have broken, scrambled plays, and that happens a lot in the game,” McCoy said. “For him, he does it all the time. He never plays on time.”
There’s a chance McCoy could be wrong, and Murray could have a resurgence. However, he and the Vikings must navigate a 2026 regular-season schedule, which is ranked 12th-toughest in the league by PFN’s analytics. That journey includes six games against the Packers, the Detroit Lions, and the Chicago Bears, three teams with winning records in 2025.
Murry is 2 inches shorter and weighs 2 pounds less than Drew Brees. Fran Tarkenton was 2 inches taller than Murry and weighed 17 pounds less than Murry. People are way to hung up on his size. Murry was looking and throwing over huge linemen in college and won the Heisman trophy.