The Minnesota Vikings are moving Kyler Murray to the bench this week against the Buffalo Bills, while JJ McCarthy prepares to start his second contest for the New York Giants in Philadelphia — and the mud on this particular set of circumstances happens to be thick.
Major questions exist as to whether minor hamstring tightness — which did not require Murray to leave the game against the Detroit Lions last week — is the real reason for Carson Wentz’s promotion to QB1 in Minnesota this week, or if it’s because Murray has struggled mightily and the likes of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are starting to display their frustrations publicly.
And while Minnesota and Murray are attempting to navigate their first loss of the season, McCarthy has suddenly found himself the starter on an NFC division leader and coming off a 20-of-28 performance for 252 yards and zero turnovers against a talented Houston Texans defense.
Never one who appeared to lack for confidence, McCarthy met with media members in New York on Wednesday, November 4 ahead of a showdown with the Eagles (2-6) and spoke glowingly of Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and his system.
Some have taken those comments as a backhanded slight against Vikings head coach and play-caller Kevin O’Connell, who backed off what had been ardent support for McCarthy in 2025 before the team’s new general manager, Nolan Teasley, traded the 23-year-old QB for a paltry fifth-round pick in late September.
JJ McCarthy’s Effusive Praise for Matt Nagy Could Come Off as Insult to Kevin O’Connell
McCarthy, now 1-0 as a starter in New York and coming off five strong quarters plus a bye week to rest and prepare for a banged-up Philly squad, had the following to say to reporters on Thursday.
“I absolutely love his play calling and how he adapts with the flow of the game,” McCarthy said of Nagy. “Like, he has a beautiful idea and vision going into the game, and most of the time it carries out.”
“There’s times where he’s got to pivot, and seeing him pivot in the last month that I’ve been here, it’s been really exciting to see and just an honor to play for him and go execute the football plays with the ten guys with me in that huddle,” McCarthy added. “Gonna continue to do that.”
Vikings Coaches Aware of Fallout Coming if JJ McCarthy Plays Well in New York, Kyler Murray Flounders in Minnesota
Meanwhile, multiple members of the Vikings’ coaching staff spoke with Dan Graziano of ESPN last week in Detroit about McCarthy’s new opportunity in New York and the potential fallout if he continues to play well and Murray keeps on struggling.
“Minnesota coaches told me they believed McCarthy had matured significantly since the start of the 2026 offseason … and they were happy the team had been able to send him to a place where he had a chance to be successful,” Graziano wrote.
“They also recognize they have a chance to look bad if McCarthy plays well for the Giants and Kyler Murray doesn’t get things going in Minnesota, but everyone agrees it was time for a scenery change,” Graziano continued.
JJ McCarthy Appears to Swipe at O’Connell After Vikings Shelve Kyler Murray