{
  "id": 3136990,
  "title": "Is J.J. McCarthy battling for the QB2 role behind Kyler Murray?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/is-j-j-mccarthy-battling-for-the-qb2-role-behind-kyler-murray",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-24T23:24:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/j-j-mccarthy-battling-qb2-232402998.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Once Kevin O Connell named Kyler Murray the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, many assumed J.J. McCarthy was a lock for the QB2 role. However, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, McCarthy could be in a battle for that position with Carson Wentz. McCarthy has taken all the second-team snaps since Murray secured the starting quarterback position, and O Connell confirmed that McCarthy is the backup, but not Carson Wentz. O Connell emphasized that he wants the QB2 role to be competitive, and McCarthy's performance in the preseason games didn't solidify his status. McCarthy completed 5 of 10 passes for 81 yards in the first quarter, overthrew two open receivers in the end zone, and threw high on two other incompletions. While a 50-yard throw to Tai Felton did put the Vikings in scoring position, a better throw could have led to a touchdown. Wentz appeared sharper while playing with the third team in the second quarter, raising doubts about the QB2 position's final determination. The article questions naming Carson Wentz as the backup, suggesting it might be the least ideal choice. There's a possibility that Wentz could be listed as the backup at the start of the season, with McCarthy as the emergency QB3.",
  "summary": "Could J.J. McCarthy be in a QB battle for the backup spot?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Analyst re-grades the Vikings signing of Kyler Murray in free agency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/analyst-re-grades-the-vikings-signing-of-kyler-murray-in-free-agency",
        "published": "2026-08-24T23:57:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}