Wentz starts vs. Bears as Murray recovers from concussion — SkimNews
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- Carson Wentz will start at quarterback for the Vikings against the Bears on Sunday, coach Kevin O'Connell announced Friday.
- Kyler Murray suffered a concussion on the 11th play of his Vikings debut during Week 1 against Green Bay, after a third-down scramble in which he was hit by Packers DE Lukas Van Ness and safety Javon Bullard and was seen in a fencing posture.
- Murray walked off under his own power, chatted with teammates in the postgame locker room, and participated in all three practices this week, but the team elected to give him more time to heal.
- Kevin O'Connell's decision marks the 11th starting-QB change in his five-year tenure as Vikings head coach, a stretch that has also included injury-driven switches involving Kirk Cousins (2023) and J.J. McCarthy (2025).
- Wentz went 2-3 as a fill-in starter for the injured McCarthy last season before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, and was re-signed by Minnesota one week after the club signed Murray in March.
- Wentz relieved Murray in Week 1 and finished 12-of-19 for 133 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers.
Why it matters: The Vikings are now on their second starting quarterback two games into the season, extending a pattern of constant QB shuffling under O'Connell — and Murray is only 11 snaps into his Minnesota career before landing in concussion protocol, putting early pressure on a March signing meant to stabilize the position.
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