An underrated storyline of the NFC North battle between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers is the battle between the Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and the Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Last year, Gannon was the Arizona Cardinals head coach, and Murray was the starting quarterback. Both ended their time in Arizona in an unspectacular fashion, but it never appeared as though Murray and Gannon meshed well.
So, there is a chance Gannon knows a lot of Murray’s weaknesses that he plans to expose. Former All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney made it clear that Gannon does have special insight on Murray, but he would not get further into it.
Xavier McKinney: “Yeah he has, but I ain’t gonna display what he’s told us.”
“Yeah, he has, but I’m not going to display what he’s told us,” safety Xavier McKinney said.
Xavier McKinney Downplays Green Bay Packers Advantage Over Kyler Murray
McKinney downplayed any narrative that the two did not get along in Arizona. He said that the message all week has been about how much of a playmaker the former No. 1 overall pick is.
“He has major respect for Kyler and what he’s been able to do in this league. Obviously he’s a playmaker. You know that. He can extend plays with his feet, and we also know he can make the throws down the field, as well, so he’s been a good quarterback in this league, and we respect him.”
Gannon added that he has nothing but respect for Murray. He noted that Murray has a great system of players to help him in Minnesota as well.
“Kyler Murray, really good player,” said Gannon, who was Murray’s head coach in Arizona the last three seasons. “He’s in a really good offense with some elite players. Obviously, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for ‘K1.’ He’s competitive, he’s smart, can make all the throws and beat you with his legs, so big-time challenge.”
Gannon and Murray were in Arizona for three seasons together. Murray was 13-17 when starting under Gannon. Gannon was 2-19 with Arizona in the games that Murray did not start.
Murray and Jonathan Gannon Did Not Work
When Gannon was hired, Murray was coming back from an ACL injury. They played the Cardinals‘ final eight games of the season, and the team went 3-5. After how poorly they started, it looked like the team found something with Murray and Gannon to close out the year.
However, the team went 8-9 with Murray healthy the next year. It was a small step forward, and Murray was playing more efficiently. However, he was not creating as many big plays.
In 2025, the Cardinals started 2-3, and Murray suffered a foot injury. The timetable for him to return was unknown, but the team was not winning games without him. As they started to slip out of the playoffs, they made the decision to hold Murray out for the season.
So, Gannon and Murray really only got one season to see how they fit together. Now, they will face off against each other for completely different franchises.
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