Is there tension in the air? Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy have made headlines over the last 24 hours after giving wildly different responses to the same question. Online, NFL fans are praising Murray and blasting McCarthy, 23, for displaying what some have branded unprofessional behavior.
JJ McCarthy Doesn’t Seem Too Pleased To Be Fighting For A Starting Position Against Veteran QB Kyler Murray
For those who may be unfamiliar, McCarthy was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
However, he missed his rookie season due to injury. He played his first season with the purple and gold in 2025, going 6-4 as a starter, throwing for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Murray, on the other hand, was brought in by head coach Kevin O’Connell after the Arizona Cardinals released the seven-year veteran in March 2026.
When asked about their relationship during a recent offseason practice, social media users weren’t prepared to hear their vastly different answers about where they stand with one another.
Kyler Murray Only Had Positive Things To Say About His Younger Teammate, JJ McCarthy, When Asked About Their Relationship
“It’s been great,” Murray said about his younger teammate. “Obviously, I know he’s a younger guy, so any way I can help him. I’ve played seven years now, going onto eight. So, I’m considered a veteran even though I don’t see myself as that. Give him any knowledge that he needs. Again, we’re both competitors, and I know we both want what’s best for the team.”
Continuing, Murray praised McCarthy as someone who is “overly acceptive” of critique and always looking to better himself. “He’s always communicating, asking questions. Stuff like that. So, it’s been good,” he said.
JJ McCarthy Shares Awkward ‘Classroom’ Analogy When Asked About His Teammate, Kyler Murray
McCarthy, on the other hand, didn’t have the same type of energy when he was asked to speak about his relationship with the Oklahoma alum.
“It’s just like two guys in a classroom,” McCarthy said plainly about his interactions with Murray. “He sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us.”
McCarthy’s answer piqued the reporters’ interest, who asked the University of Michigan alum whether there was any awkwardness between the two players, given the fact that they’re both competing for a starting spot.
“Awkwardness? It’s just like the same feeling when you’re in high school, and there’s another person on the other side of the room. It’s just kinda how it is, so I wouldn’t say there’s any awkwardness,” McCarthy said.
Social Media Users Are Tearing Into ‘Weak’ McCarthy Over His Response
It didn’t take long for the clip of the two quarterbacks to go viral, prompting a flurry of responses from interested social media users and NFL fans chiming in about McCarthy’s unusual answer.
“JJ needs to learn how to lie like a professional,” one person wrote on Reddit, to which another replied, “He doesn’t want to sound weak, and that makes him sound weak.”
Another user jumped in, writing, “Regardless of the truth, his answer sounds like a guy who feels like he’s at risk of losing his role and is being outplayed. It’s the whole dress and act for the job you want thing. Kyler simultaneously was able to sound both gracious/supportive and acquiescing to JJ’s QB1 role but also slyly speak like you’d expect your QB1 to talk.”
Adding to the conversation, a fourth Redditor praised Murray for giving the “better” answer before slamming McCarthy for not speaking positively about his teammate. “[His] answer is not a good team message for people on the same team in the same position.”
Murray Is Confident He Can Get The Job Done
According to Heavy, Murray recently spoke about his relationship with Vikings head coach O’Connell, saying that he was “excited” to play for the former NFL player.
“He could teach somebody who does not even know football how to play the position of quarterback,” Murray said. “I believe he is super articulate [and] I have been around him a little bit before here, just in conversations going back to Elite 11 days, the combine, stuff like that.”
Regarding the starting QB role, Murray stated that he wasn’t too concerned about the competition, adding, “I mean, my confidence is unshakable.”
“That is how I feel about myself. Regardless of what happens day to day, I know the next day I am coming out here to give my best effort, put my best foot forward, and give whatever the team needs. That is what you are getting with me as far as confidence goes. You will not see me waver,” he said.