When the Minnesota Vikings grabbed Kyler Murray during the offseason, most fans and NFL insiders assumed he would be the starting quarterback going into the 2026 season. The Vikings leadership maintained through the offseason and in the early part of training camp that it was a legitimate quarterback competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray to earn the starting job. Late this morning (August 11), ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the news that the Vikings had made the decision to name Kyler Murray the starting quarterback ahead of their first preseason game this Saturday. READ MORE: What Kyler Murray Had To Say After Joining Minnesota VikingsMinutes later, Schefter shared that Kevin O'Connell had already informed the team about the decision, according to his sources. This came after being "intentional and open" with creating a competitive environment for Kyler and J.J. to work within.