Kyler Murray is Getting Even More MVP Love Ahead of 2026 Season
We haven’t even seen Kyler Murray play a game at U.S. Bank Stadium yet, and he’s already getting a decent amount of mentions among predictors of the NFL’s annual Most Valuable Player award. Even more appropriately, he hasn’t even won the starting QB job for the Vikings, yet talks are continuing.
Earlier this month, Dan Parr of NFL.com slapped a “dark-horse MVP candidate” label upon Murray. This time, another contributor to the official NFL website, Bucky Brooks, is now taking it upon himself to sing the same kind of tune.
Kyler Murray Continuing to Get Predictions to Win the MVP Award in 2026
In this instance, Brooks essentially slapped a “dark-horse MVP’ label upon Kyler Murray, but he worded it as a “long-shot pick” for the major award.
He provided a justification for the selection of Kyler Murray as a possible MVP:
“The combination of Murray’s spectacular playmaking ability and Kevin O’Connell’s creative scheming could quickly remind the football world why this quarterback won the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma and then went first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Injuries have plagued the former Offensive Rookie of the Year in recent seasons, but Murray’s dual-threat skills should be enhanced by the Vikings’ playmakers and play designer.“
There’s no doubting that Kyler Murray’s athletic abilities are impressive. After all, we’re talking about a former NFL first overall pick, as well as a former top-ten overall pick in the MLB. Murray has a very impressive amount of speed and elusiveness with an almost as impressive level of arm talent.
When Murray signed with Minnesota, the possibilities of him in Kevin O’Connell’s offense flooded my brain. Say what you want about his lack of postseason success (he was on the Cardinals for goodness’ sake), but Kyler Murray has provided some of the most electric plays in recent memory in the NFL.
Kyler Murray Might Be Working With the Right Guy in Minnesota
Kyler Murray is probably the Kevin O’Connell reclamation project with the most talent out of any other ousted veteran QBs that have made their way to the Twin Cities since O’Connell got here in 2022.
O’Connell worked his magic on Sam Darnold, who had turned into a veteran journeyman before he found himself in Minnesota. Bucky Brooks mentioned that in tandem with Murray’s strengths as a QB as to how we could be looking another another QB resurrection on the Vikings.
“After watching KOC transform a struggling Sam Darnold into a Pro Bowler in 2024, I’m confident that the coaching wizard can help the ultra-talented Murray regain his magic in Minnesota. Given the 28-year-old’s prowess as a dual-threat weapon, the Vikings could re-emerge with a potent offense to complement Brian Flores’ swarming D. If Murray makes Minnesota a true contender in a loaded NFC North, the eighth-year pro could add another major piece of football hardware to his mantel.”
If Kyler Murray’s 2026 is anything like Sam Darnold’s 2024 season in Minnesota, then the Vikings could be right back in the playoffs. Obviously, we would hope that it goes better than 2024, but it’s better to be in the dance than not. Maybe Minnesota would’ve learned from their mistakes in 2024 to give the Super Bowl a real run this time around.
One can only hope.
