Kyler Murray signs with Vikings, ‘cannot wait’ to touch field

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings agreed Thursday on a one-year contract with quarterback Kyler Murray, the team confirmed.

For Murray, the deal provides an opportunity to revitalize his career, and for the Vikings, it allows them to elevate the quarterback play that largely doomed their 2025 season.

Minnesota will pay $1.3 million of Murray’s $36.8 million salary for 2026. The Arizona Cardinals will pay the remainder as part of their decision to release him Wednesday. His new deal prohibits the Vikings from using a franchise or transition tag on him next offseason, sources told ESPN, giving him a guaranteed path to free agency if he wants it.

In Minnesota, Murray will have arguably the best supporting cast of his NFL career, which started in 2019 when the Cardinals made him the No. 1 pick of the draft. He’ll work with coach and playcaller Kevin O’Connell, tight end T.J. Hockenson and receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

“I cannot wait,” Murray said Thursday evening. “I cannot wait to touch that field and be a Minnesota Viking.”

Murray played for a team named the “Vikings” in youth football and said he grew up a “genuine” fan of the NFL’s Vikings as a result. Laughing at the memory, Murray said he “cried real tears” when Vikings quarterback Brett Favre threw an interception in the fourth quarter of the 2009 NFC Championship Game, which they lost to the New Orleans Saints in overtime.

Skol. pic.twitter.com/pluMd4wp0k

— Kyler Murray (@K1) March 12, 2026

O’Connell said after the season that he wanted to find competition for 2025 starter J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft who finished with a 35.6 QBR in 10 starts. Murray has been named to two Pro Bowls and has accounted for 153 touchdowns in his career, but O’Connell was not willing Thursday to name him the Vikings’ starter.

“It’s March,” O’Connell said. “We signed Kyler today. And what I can tell you is the goal of adding a talented player like Kyler to the room was to … create a world where guys are pushing each other and guys are by their own growth and development, or their own ascension, are not only just doing that themselves, but they’re creating a new standard and elevating that floor so that will benefit not only those players individually, it’ll benefit the collective group of guys in the room.”

Asked whether he views Murray and McCarthy in competition, or if he had even answered it for himself yet, O’Connell added: ” Unless I’m confused in any way, shape or form, I don’t believe we have to name one of those currently.”

O’Connell and McCarthy spoke earlier this week.

“He knew we were going to be adding somebody to the room,” O’Connell said. “He knew that that didn’t change anything about his mindset and focus on improving and attacking this offseason the right way. And I’m really proud of him for that and excited to get to get back on the grass and in the meeting room with him when that time comes.”

Murray arrived Wednesday night in Minnesota, hours after the Cardinals had released him. By that point, most NFL quarterback-needy teams already had added at the position. The Vikings had some interest in veteran Geno Smith, but the Las Vegas Raiders traded him to the New York Jets.

Murray spent Thursday meeting with O’Connell, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and other members of the staff. Pre-signing free agent visits are rare in the NFL, but Rob Brzezinski — the Vikings’ executive vice president of football operations who is serving as interim general manager — said it appeared Murray “couldn’t have been more excited” to be in town.

“I met a lot of genuine, real people,” Murray said. “They’ve done nothing but treat me with great respect and love so far since I’ve been here. I’m very appreciative of how today went.”

O’Connell said he treated the visit as a two-way interview.

“You’re getting to spend that time in person for an extended period of time in the one-on-one setting,” he said, “and that allows you to throw the tape on and talk through some things. And then you might pause that for a few minutes and you’re talking about life, and you’re talking about just adversity, and how either one of us have handled it. And it’s not a one-way street. It’s not a job interview for him that it’s just where we’re just sitting there listening all day. I think it’s important that Kyler learned a lot about me, learned a lot about who I am authentically every day in this building, because I think that’s a big part of building that relationship so that you can coach a guy hard and you can help him improve and be a really consistent player within our team.”

Murray’s seven seasons in Arizona were chock full of highlight-worthy plays but ended with just one playoff appearance, a wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.

He was 38-48-1 with the Cardinals while injuries — including a torn ACL at the end of 2022 — defined his last five years with the team. In 2025, he played in just the first five games before suffering a foot injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season.

Murray has thrown for 121 touchdowns and 60 interceptions in seven seasons. He also has 32 rushing touchdowns.

ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss contributed to this report.