Kyler Murray will be the ninth Vikings' starting QB since 2023

On Sunday, Kyler Murray is set to make his inaugural appearance as the starting quarterback for the Vikings. This marks the ninth time a different quarterback has taken the field for Minnesota since 2023, tying them with the Cleveland Browns for the highest number in the NFL during this period. The Browns have started 42 quarterbacks since returning to the NFL in 1999, surpassing all other teams with over 30.

In 2022, the Vikings' first season under head coach Kevin O'Connell, Kirk Cousins led the team in every regular-season game. In 2023, Cousins continued to start the first eight games before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in a game against Green Bay. Since then, Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer have all taken turns as the starter, with Wentz and McCarthy still on the roster and Brosmer on the practice squad. It's unlikely that the Vikings will start a tenth different quarterback in 2026.

In both 2022 and 2024, when the same quarterback started every game, the Vikings secured playoff appearances. It's hoped that Murray will replicate this success and start all 17 games in 2026, while also guiding the Vikings back to the postseason.