Kyler Murray is going back to the team he spent his childhood rooting for.
Murray, who previously said he grew up as a Minnesota Vikings fan after playing for a youth team with the same nickname, shared a childhood photo of himself in a Vikings jersey after officially signing with the team.
Murray became a free agent after he was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week. He is now joining the Vikings on a reported one-year, $1.3 million veteran minimum deal.
He will still receive $36.8 million from the Cardinals next season due to the fully guaranteed money remaining on his former contract.
Murray is from Texas, where he attended high school before beginning his college career at Texas A&M, but he said in 2021 he had never been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.
He could now get a chance to start for his preferred childhood team as he enters a potential QB1 battle with J.J. McCarthy this offseason.
McCarthy, who missed his rookie 2024 season with a knee injury, struggled again with injuries in 2025. He led the Vikings to a 6-4 record while completing 57.6 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions when available.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said in January he wanted “a competitive situation” in the quarterback room, while general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said he was looking to develop “a deep competitive group,” per the Minnesota Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling.
Murray earned an Offensive Rookie of the Year award and two Pro Bowl nods during his first three NFL seasons as a top dual-threat quarterback, but struggled later in his tenure with the Cardinals.
He ultimately played just five games last season before he suffered a foot injury that sidelined him while Jacoby Brissett finished out the season.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell recently helped Super Bowl LX winner Sam Darnold revive his career in Minnesota. Murray could hope to see similar results as he begins working with O’Connell this offseason.
