Can Former Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray Follow the Path of Recent Super Bowl Champ?

Kyler Murray is looking for a fresh start.

Murray, who won the Heisman Trophy with Oklahoma in 2018 before becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, will soon be a free agent. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 3 that the Arizona Cardinals will release Murray next week after seven seasons with the franchise.

Murray’s release marks an abrupt end to a once-promising stint with the Cardinals.

He made the Pro Bowl twice with Arizona and was named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019. The Cardinals, though, have posted a losing record in each of the last four seasons, and Murray played only five games in 2025.

So what’s next for the Oklahoma great?

There are plenty of teams on the hunt for a new signal-caller, including the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.

Of those teams seeking a new quarterback, Minnesota is the one that has been linked to Murray. NFL insider Connor Hughes reported Friday that the Vikings are widely expected to sign the veteran quarterback.

The #Jets might not target just one quarterback in free agency. Belief from agents who met with them at the NFL Combine is that they prefer to add two -- if they can. It's similar to what the #Giants did a year ago (Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston).

Kyler Murray was discussed,…
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 6, 2026

Kirk Cousins held down the Vikings’ starting quarterback role for several years before he departed Minnesota in favor of Atlanta before the 2024 season.

To replace Cousins, Minnesota signed Sam Darnold in 2024. Darnold was excellent for the Vikings that year, throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 yards and leading the franchise to a 14-3 record.

Despite his stellar season, the Vikings let him walk in the offseason. The Seattle Seahawks signed him to a four-year deal in 2025, and in his first season with the team, Darnold led them to a Super Bowl.

This isn’t to say that Murray is two years away from winning a Super Bowl. And there’s no denying that the last couple of years have been a step in the wrong direction in terms of his career.

But seeing Darnold’s success during his lone season in Minneapolis, it’s possible that Murray can see a similar career resurgence.

Murray would compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie campaign with an injury, played his first professional season in 2025 — and he struggled. McCarthy completed only 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, starting 10 games for the Vikings.

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Though Murray only appeared in five games in 2025, his numbers were much more impressive than McCarthy’s. The former Sooner completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

Murray has shown that he is capable of performing in the NFL, and he would be surrounded by plenty of quality talent in Minnesota. The Vikings have two of the league’s best young wide receivers — Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison — and have worked to solidify their offensive line in recent years.

Darnold was once an afterthought across the league.

He lasted only three years with the New York Jets despite being taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. After that, Darnold bounced from backup role to backup role before finally earning another chance as a starter with the Vikings — and now he’s a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

There are no guarantees that Murray will get a similar storybook result. But given Minnesota’s recent experience with a once-forgotten signal caller, there’s a chance that Murray can return to stardom if he opts to sign with the Vikings.