The Minnesota Vikings have made their quarterback choice before their first preseason game, ending a competition that had been closely watched throughout training camp. Kyler Murray will take the first-team offense, while J.J. McCarthy moves into the backup role. The timing of the announcement has prompted questions about whether the battle was ever as open as the team suggested.
One NFL analyst believes the answer is clear, and his comments have further fueled speculation about McCarthy’s uncertain future.
Kyle Brandt Speaks About Vikings’ Kyler Murray-J.J. McCarthy QB Battle
Kyle Brandt did not hold back while discussing the Vikings’ decision on “Good Morning Football.”
The NFL analyst called the competition a “charade” and argued that Minnesota had already made up its mind when it signed Murray.
“This was never a competition. This was perfunctory at best. This was a charade at worst,” Brandt said.
He also questioned whether anyone was genuinely surprised by the announcement, asking, “Was there anybody in the world yesterday who looked at their phone and saw that Kyler was named the starter and was like, what? I can’t believe that, including J.J. McCarthy.”
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Brandt believes Murray’s experience and talent made the outcome obvious from the beginning. He pointed to the gap between Murray and McCarthy and argued that Minnesota’s decision came much earlier than Tuesday’s announcement.
“You don’t have a quarterback competition and then call it before you even play a single preseason game,” Brandt said. “No, they called it because they called it months ago.”
“The second you start seeing other people, the marriage is over.”
On the Vikings QB competition that wasn’t. pic.twitter.com/IKElOY5WIw
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) August 12, 2026
This view also shaped Brandt’s assessment of McCarthy’s place in Minnesota. He argued that the former first-round pick’s position changed as soon as Murray joined the Vikings.
“The second you start seeing other people, the marriage is over, and this has been over… but the second that Kyler Murray became a Viking, he became a Viking starter,” Brandt said.
McCarthy entered the 2025 season with significant expectations after missing his entire rookie year because of a knee injury. He then started 10 games, throwing 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Despite Minnesota going 6-4 in those starts, his individual performance left enough questions for the team to choose Murray.
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Brandt compared the situation with Murray’s arrival in Arizona. The Cardinals selected Murray No. 1 overall in 2019 after taking Josh Rosen in the first round the previous year. Arizona moved on from Rosen after choosing Murray, which Brandt believes mirrors what happened in Minnesota.
“This is now the second time and the second elite draft pick that Kyler Murray has gotten just completely discarded because coaches look at him and they’re like, I want that,” Brandt said.
Brandt also made clear that he supports Minnesota’s decision. “Of course you go with Kyler Murray,” he said, praising Murray’s talent and athletic ability. A
According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, McCarthy finished last season with an impact score of 67.0, ranking fifth-worst in the league. Unfortunately, Murray didn’t play enough games last season to earn a ranking.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have publicly maintained that McCarthy remains their No. 2 quarterback and has a future with the organization.
Still, the early decision has generated trade speculation, with the Los Angeles Chargers, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals emerging as potential destinations in outside discussions.
For Brandt, though, the central issue is already settled. In his view, “the marriage is over” between McCarthy and Minnesota’s starting quarterback role.
