Two weeks out, and the job is back
Kyler Murray has been cleared from concussion protocol. Kevin O’Connell confirmed it on the day, with the quarterback set to start on Sunday when the Vikings travel to Tampa Bay.
Murray left the opener against Green Bay in the first quarter and never made it back. His stat line says plenty: 3 completions on 5 attempts, 18 yards, one interception. He spent the rest of that game, and the weeks since, watching from the sideline.
Minnesota kept rolling without him. Carson Wentz sparked the comeback against the Packers in Week 1 after replacing him, then guided a 9-3 win in Chicago on Sunday. The Vikings are 2-0. Wentz heads back to the bench without having lost a game.
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O’Connell wants Murray to look after the ball
The Vikings head coach made it clear what he expects from his starter on return. The message is simple: no turnovers.
“The starting point is he just watched Carson operate in a way where Carson didn’t do anything crazy. He just took care of the ball, made good decisions, hit a few big throws when he could, and managed the game,” O’Connell said. “I think he saw our team play in a really connected way, complementary in all three phases, and what that can mean for the Minnesota Vikings on a Sunday.”
The point is obvious enough. Murray has built his game around improvisation and running plays off script. This time, he’ll have to fit into a team that has found its rhythm without him.
A clash of former Oklahoma stars in Tampa
Sunday’s opponent adds another layer to the story. Tampa Bay will line up Baker Mayfield, the other big Oklahoma name in the mix. Both men won the Heisman Trophy in a Sooners shirt a year apart, Mayfield in 2017 and Murray in 2018. Both then went No. 1 in the NFL draft, Mayfield in 2018 and Murray in 2019.
The Buccaneers come into it at 0-2. The Vikings can make it three straight and open up a gap in the NFC North. Murray’s return arrives at a time when Minnesota can least afford to get cute.
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