Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is heading into the most important year of his NFL career. Sports analyst Colin Cowherd just made it clear he does not think it is going to end well in Minnesota.

Cowherd spoke on The Herd with Colin Cowherd and gave his take on the Vikings' quarterback competition between McCarthy and Kyler Murray.

"Kyler Murray is gonna win the job because he's going to own the locker room because the players think he's more talented," Cowherd said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast," and JJ McCarthy may flourish elsewhere.

Cowherd is not saying McCarthy is done in the NFL. He is saying Minnesota specifically is not the right place for him anymore. He thinks the locker room battle is already over before training camp even opens. And Murray has won it.

"When you go to a solid organisation, and it doesn't work after two or three years, it's not going to work," Cowherd said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd podcast. "This is not the Jets. Minnesota's well-run."

The Jets are a franchise that has given multiple quarterbacks long leashes in chaotic environments. Minnesota under Kevin O'Connell is organised and stable. McCarthy has had his runway there, and last season's poor results prompted the team to sign Murray in the offseason.

In 10 games under center, McCarthy completed just 57.6% of his passes, throwing 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions with a low 72.6 passer rating, causing Minnesota to miss the playoffs

"I think he could find another organisation, maybe like an Arizona or something someday," he said in the same podcast. "But it's not working in Minnesota because Minnesota's well-run and competition at quarterback in the NFL is nonsense. Nobody buys into that."

Cowherd is saying Murray was signed to be the starter, and everyone in the building knows it. Calling it a real competition is just noise.

J. J. McCarthy responded to the situation without backing down

McCarthy himself was asked about Murray's arrival and did not pretend everything was normal.

"Look, the organisation made a decision that they feel like is going to improve the depth and the quality of the room," McCarthy told reporters, per NFL.com. "All I'm thinking about is continuing the upward trajectory that I set for myself last season and continuing to be the best version of me every single day."

He also described what the quarterback room actually looks like day to day.

"It's just like two guys in a classroom. He sits on one side. I sit on the other side," McCarthy said.

McCarthy is in the last year of his rookie deal. The Vikings are leaning away from picking up his fifth-year option, per Zone Coverage. This season is not just important for him. It is everything.

Do you think JJ McCarthy can win the starting job back from Kyler Murray in 2026? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima