The Vikings’ quarterback decision for Week 1 looked routine at the time. A few days before the 2026 regular season opener against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota named veteran Carson Wentz the QB2 behind Kyler Murray.
By Sunday, that call had turned into the hinge point of the entire game.
Minnesota did not expect Wentz to see the field, but Murray went down with a concussion and exited in the first quarter. That forced the 33-year-old into the huddle, and after a shaky start, he settled in and gave the Vikings exactly what they needed in a 39-22 win over Green Bay.
Wentz didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but he was steady in all the right ways. He went 12-of-19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns, finishing with a 123.5 passer rating. More importantly, he avoided turnovers, avoided the kind of reckless throws that can flip a game, and kept Minnesota’s offense moving.
That’s why the conversation now shifts to Week 2. If Wentz starts again against the Chicago Bears and helps the Vikings win again, the QB1 job becomes very hard to hand back to Murray.
The Bears won their opener too, blasting the Carolina Panthers for 59 points, so Minnesota is walking into a tough matchup. The game will be in Chicago, which gives the Bears another edge. Still, the Vikings beat Chicago on the road last season, and in their second meeting in 2025 they were one bad kickoff return away from winning again in Minnesota.
Of course, the other path is simple enough. If Minnesota loses in Chicago and Wentz struggles, the whole controversy could disappear fast, with Murray likely returning to the starting job in Week 3 if he clears concussion protocol.
For now, though, Wentz has turned one emergency appearance into a real storyline. Week 2 will tell whether it stays that way.
In Other News...
Kyler Murrays Vikings Debut Just Took A Frightening Turn
Kyler Murrays first appearance in a Vikings uniform took a harsh turn before it could really settle into a rhythm. The quarterback was struck helmet-to-helmet by Packers safety Javon Bullard, a hit that drew an unnecessary roughness penalty and quickly changed the feel of the game for Minnesota, especially with Murray then forced to leave and backup Carson Wentz stepping in.
For a team still trying to build any momentum around its new quarterback, the sight of Murray heading to the sideline was the biggest storyline of the day. Medical expert David J. Chao said the footage showed neurological signs consistent with a concussion, leaving the Vikings to sort through a debut that was supposed to answer questions and instead raised a much more unsettling one. [Read more 🡒]
Kyler Murrays First Vikings Snap Was Already Hard To Ignore
Kyler Murray arrived in Minnesota with plenty to prove, and he wasted no time making his presence felt in a quarterback battle that had been watched closely all summer. After signing a one-year deal following his release from Arizona, Murray went head-to-head with J.J. McCarthy in training camp and eventually earned the Week 1 nod from coach Kevin OConnell, a decision that signaled a fresh start for both player and team.
What makes Murrays fit more interesting is how openly he has embraced the Vikings as more than just his next stop. He has talked about strong personal ties to the franchise and the chance to reinvent his NFL career in Minnesota, which gives his first snaps an added layer of meaning beyond the usual camp competition. For a team looking to settle its quarterback picture, the early signs around Murray are already hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Backup Decision Just Changed Everything In Green Bay
Kevin OConnells backup quarterback choice suddenly mattered a whole lot more once Kyler Murray locked in the starting job, and for the Vikings it put Carson Wentz in the spotlight as the No. 2 behind him instead of J.J. McCarthy. The move looked like a depth-chart decision on paper, but it became the kind of call that shapes a game when Wentz was pressed into action early in the season opener against the Packers.
Wentz responded by helping turn a difficult start into a 39-22 comeback win in Green Bay, settling in quickly and finding Justin Jefferson for multiple scores. He finished 12 of 19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns, a performance that did more than steady the Vikings for one afternoon. It also gave Minnesota a backup situation that now looks a lot more consequential than it did when camp ended. [Read more 🡒]