![Former NFL Coache Jon Gruden have a laugh while attending an NFL training camp session ten at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://statico.profootballnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/30191148/i-dont-understand-07-30-26-1920x1304.jpg "‘I Don’t Understand’ — Super Bowl Champion HC Jon Gruden Calls Out Vikings for Losing Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones")
If you want to be a successful NFL team, you have to get the quarterback right. The teams that have a good quarterback find themselves in contention most years, but there are plenty of teams still looking for the right signal-caller.
One team that cannot seem to get the quarterback right is the Minnesota Vikings. They have seemingly been patching the position together over the years, leading them down a tough road.
The Vikings had Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones on their roster in recent years, but let both hit free agency. Now, Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will battle it out for the spot this offseason.
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden made it clear he’s no fan of how the Vikings are going about their business when it comes to the man under center.
Jon Gruden Calls Out Vikings’ QB Plan
It’s hard enough to find a quarterback who can consistently win in the NFL, and it makes the pill even tougher to swallow when you give up a player who won 14 regular-season games for you in one season.
Sam Darnold had one of the best seasons of his career with the Vikings in 2024. Despite losing in the first round of the playoffs, Darnold showed he can operate an NFL offense at a high level. However, the Vikings let Darnold walk in free agency, and they have been looking for a QB ever since.
Gruden joined “Wake Up with Barstool” to discuss the Vikings’ QB situation, and didn’t hold back on his thoughts. “I gotta think that Kyler Murray is gonna be the guy personally but I don’t understand what the hell is going on in Minnesota. How you let Sam Darnold walk out of there after the year he had winning 14 games and how you let Daniel Jones out of there I have no idea.”
“What about the quarterback battle going on in Minnesota coach?” -TBob
“I gotta think that Kyler Murray is gonna be the guy personally but I don’t understand what the hell is going on in Minnesota. How you let Sam Darnold walk out of there after the year he had winning 14 games… pic.twitter.com/BJkZu7LIch
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 30, 2026
You can bet the Vikings regret letting Darnold go after he won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks this past season. He played great all year, and the Vikings gave Darnold up to turn the franchise over to McCarthy, who was their first-round pick.
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It hasn’t looked pretty for McCarthy through the first two seasons of his career. He missed his entire first season due to injury and then started 10 games last season for the Vikings, completing 57.6% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
The Vikings also had Daniel Jones on their roster in 2025, before he left to sign a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. Jones has not been great during his career, but he is certainly a better option than McCarthy.
One thing Minnesota has going for it is a great offensive head coach in Kevin O’Connell. He can get the best out of quarterbacks, and that is what he hopes to do with Kyler Murray.
The former first overall pick has had some success during his career and now gets a chance at a fresh start with the Vikings. This will certainly be a team to watch as training camp gets going.
