Adam Thielen didn’t leave Minnesota without a strong opinion on the quarterback battle brewing around the Vikings.
Speaking recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the former Vikings wide receiver weighed in on both J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray, two passers now tied to Minnesota’s ongoing competition for the starting job. Thielen spent part of the 2025 regular season in the same locker room as McCarthy before retiring after the year, and he came away impressed with what he saw.
"I love J.J.," Thielen said, per Eduardo Razo of Heavy. "He’s a phenomenal dude.
He’s a hard worker, [and] he’s got that dog in him. He’s a competitor.
He’s got all the intangibles to be really successful in this league. I’m really excited about what this does for his game."
McCarthy’s talent and makeup clearly left a mark on Thielen, but the bigger picture in Minnesota is still unsettled. McCarthy, the 2024 first-round draft pick, has only 10 career regular-season starts, and the Vikings’ decision to bring in Murray as a free-agency signing says plenty about where things stand. Head coach Kevin O’Connell and the organization are at least leaving the door open for a real battle.
Thielen also had praise for Murray, while pointing to the challenge that comes with leading the group.
"I’ve always watched [Murray] from afar," Thielen added. "He’s an exciting player.
I think if he can be the leader that he knows he has to be, and that the team needs at that position, the sky’s the limit for him. Who knows how that’s going to play out?
But it’s a really exciting time in Minnesota because they have a lot of skill. They have a lot of players who can make plays, do a lot of things, and change the game.
It’s not all on (star wide receiver) Justin Jefferson."
That comment reads like a clear nod to the questions that followed Murray through his Arizona Cardinals run, which stretched from the 2019 draft through the 2025 campaign. Even if Murray checks every box this summer in terms of preparation and command, there’s still no guarantee he’ll beat out McCarthy when preseason games begin.
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