Kyler Murray suffered a head injury that forced Minnesota Vikings and NFL fans across the league to look away. Scrambling for a first down, the quarterback was hit directly on the head, leading to him losing his helmet and lying motionlessly on the field at U.S. Bank Stadium.
As a result of the injury, backup quarterback Carson Wentz has taken over against the Green Bay Packers. Even though he was initially deemed inactive, J.J. McCarthy could be next in line as he is the Vikings’ emergency quarterback. He can only step onto the field if something happens to Wentz.
Murray was able to walk off the field and head to the locker room. Although that’s an encouraging sign, it wasn’t enough to wave the victory flag and disregard a serious injury in the 2026 NFL‘s season-opener. After being evaluated for a concussion, the test results confirmed that fear.
“QB Kyler Murray has been ruled out with a concussion,” the Vikings announced through their official social media.
The Vikings’ QB room in 2026.
Vikings in trouble in Week 1
This is the reality of the NFL. Just one week into the season, it’s showing all of its true colors. Although the team always knew it was in for a challenging year, Minnesota waited months for football to be back, only to potentially lose its starting quarterback just one quarter into the season.
Fortunately for the Vikings, Wentz has plenty of experience under his belt and could provide a softer landing spot for them. It’s far from ideal, but they could be in an even worse position. The other option, McCarthy, is coming off a tumultuous year in 2025, and many believe his train has already left the station in the Twin Cities.
Murray’s rough start
Even before he got hurt in a very scary play, Murray’s start to his Vikings career was far from pretty. In fact, his first pass at U.S. Bank Stadium was picked off. In his injury-shortened debut in Minnesota, Murray only threw three passes for 18 yards and an interception before leaving the game. He’s now been ruled out. The bleak stat line will haunt the former No. 1 overall pick from 2019, but it’s all minuscule compared to the medical side of things.
