Vikings Sign Kyler Murray
Minnesota signed the 2019 first overall pick to a one-year contract worth a reported $1.3 million cap charge, a low-cost addition to the quarterback room.
Quarterback • No. 1
Kyler Murray
Speed. Vision. Opportunity.
Kyler Murray brings a dynamic presence at quarterback, combining elite mobility with creativity and playmaking ability as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the 2026 season.
Player Bio
- Position
- Quarterback
- Height
- 5’10"
- Weight
- 207 lbs
- Birthdate
- August 7, 1997
- College
- Oklahoma
- NFL Draft
- 2019 • Rd 1, Pick 1
- Born
- Bedford, Texas
Key Attributes
Mobility
Creates plays with elite short-area quickness
Playmaker
Extends plays and finds options outside structure
Leadership
Brings Heisman Trophy pedigree and command of the huddle
Player Coverage
Biography, statistics and related reporting on Minnesota's new starting quarterback.
Related coverageCareer Passing Statistics
Murray has not yet appeared in a regular-season game for Minnesota, so the table below shows his verified NFL passing statistics with the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 through 2025, the seasons that exist before his Vikings debut. The Vikings' own 2025 quarterback statistics, for J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer, are on the quarterbacks page.
| Season | Team | GP | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Arizona | 16 | 349 | 542 | 64.4 | 3,722 | 20 |
| 2020 | Arizona | 16 | 375 | 558 | 67.2 | 3,971 | 26 |
| 2021 | Arizona | 14 | 333 | 481 | 69.2 | 3,787 | 24 |
| 2022 | Arizona | 11 | 259 | 390 | 66.4 | 2,368 | 14 |
| 2023 | Arizona | 8 | 176 | 268 | 65.7 | 1,799 | 10 |
| 2024 | Arizona | 17 | 372 | 541 | 68.8 | 3,851 | 21 |
| 2025 | Arizona | 5 | 110 | 161 | 68.3 | 962 | 6 |
| Career | Arizona | 87 | 1,974 | 2,941 | 67.1 | 20,460 | 121 |
Murray also carries his mobility into the run game: 532 career rushing attempts for 3,193 yards and 32 rushing touchdowns across his seven Arizona seasons, figures that support the mobility Minnesota is counting on behind Kevin O'Connell's offence.
Season Game Log
vs
Week 1
Final · W 39-22
Vikings vs Packers
Sun, Sep 13, 2026 • 3:25 PM CDT • U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota opened the 2026 season with a 39-22 home win over Green Bay on September 13. Murray's Week 1 passing line is in the Week 1 recap and box score; as of September 16 he was listed as questionable on the injury report. A week-by-week passing log will be added here as the season progresses. The full schedule is on the Vikings schedule page.
Playing Style
Murray's game blends rare short-area quickness with a quick, compact release. At 5’10" and 207 pounds he generates more velocity than his size suggests, and his ability to extend plays outside the pocket has been a hallmark of his career since Oklahoma.
He is comfortable attacking every level of the field and creates extra opportunities once a play breaks down, using his eyes to manipulate defenders before pulling the ball down to scramble. That improvisational instinct, paired with a willingness to push the ball downfield, is the trait Minnesota is building its 2026 passing offence around.
Career Chronology
College
Played one season at Texas A&M before transferring to Oklahoma. Won the 2018 Heisman Trophy after throwing 42 touchdowns against seven interceptions and rushing for 1,001 yards and 12 scores, leading the Sooners to the Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth.
NFL Draft
Selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray remains the only athlete ever taken in the first round of both the NFL Draft and the MLB Draft, having gone No. 9 overall to the Oakland Athletics in 2018.
NFL Career
Started 87 games across seven seasons in Arizona (2019 to 2025), passing for 20,460 yards and 121 touchdowns while adding 3,193 rushing yards and 32 rushing scores. Missed extended time in 2023 recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December 2022.
Vikings
Signed by Minnesota on a one-year contract on March 12, 2026. Won the starting job in training camp, and Carson Wentz was confirmed as his backup ahead of J.J. McCarthy on September 9, 2026. Made his Vikings debut in the Week 1 opener, a 39-22 win over Green Bay.
Latest News on Kyler Murray
View all news
Wentz Confirmed as Murray's Backup
Kevin O'Connell's quarterback order is set for Week 1: Murray starts, Carson Wentz backs him up, and J.J. McCarthy is listed third.
Week 1 Preview: Vikings vs Packers
Murray makes his Vikings regular-season debut against Green Bay. Our staff prediction: Vikings 23, Packers 20.