Carson Wentz is back in the spotlight for Minnesota, and this time the Vikings are handing him the ball because Kyler Murray’s hamstring won’t let him go.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday that Murray will sit out Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills after imaging on Monday, Nov. 2 showed a hamstring strain. O’Connell described Murray as week-to-week and said the team is not looking at injured reserve.
“Carson will start the football game and Max will back him up,” O’Connell said.
The move comes after O’Connell had publicly said on Nov. 2 that the Vikings were still committed to Murray as their starter. Three days later, the quarterback picture has shifted for at least one game, and maybe more depending on how Murray responds as he recovers.
O’Connell said Murray first reported soreness Monday, and the imaging that followed confirmed the strain. The Vikings’ concern is simple: putting him back out there too soon could make things worse. For a quarterback whose game leans on burst, movement and escaping pressure, that matters.
The coach said the team believes it avoided a major injury, but he did not say how severe the strain is or give a specific timetable for Murray’s return. When asked about injured reserve, O’Connell was blunt.
“It’s not under consideration at all.”
For now, Murray stays involved in the day-to-day work. O’Connell said he’ll remain part of offensive installs, quarterback meetings and game-plan conversations while he heals. The Vikings hope to start his progression early next week, and they’ll keep evaluating him one week at a time.
That leaves the immediate job to Wentz, who gets his second start of the season when Minnesota hosts Buffalo. He’s already helped the Vikings to two wins this year, and O’Connell made it clear the staff trusts him in the system.
Wentz has completed 23 of 39 passes for 276 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Murray has gone 100 of 154 for 1,022 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
“He’s got 100 games of experience,” O’Connell said.
The Vikings coach said he expects to spend a lot of time with Wentz before Monday night, shaping the plan around a quarterback who knows the offense and understands what he’s comfortable doing. The question now is whether this is just a temporary detour or the start of something bigger once Murray is healthy again.
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