Justin Jefferson Hypes Kyler Murray-J.J. McCarthy Vikings QB1 Battle, 'Who's Gonna Be That Dawg?'

Justin Jefferson is looking for either Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy to be "that dawg" and seize control of the quarterback competition this offseason.

"Just competition, for real," Jefferson said during an appearance on Good Morning Football (h/t Nick Shook of NFL.com) when discussing what he is hoping to see from the battle. 

"Just to see, who's gonna be that last man standing? Who's gonna be that dawg? Who's gonna be that leader to carry us throughout the season? Because that is definitely a missing piece that we're looking for and something that is very important to our team, which is the quarterback spot."

Minnesota's decision to bring in Murray this offseason was the furthest thing from a vote of confidence in McCarthy.

After the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft missed his rookie season with injury, he was the team's primary starter in a 2025 season that also saw it play Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer while former quarterback Sam Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl title.

McCarthy completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while finishing with a QBR of 35.6 that ranked 30th in the league.

J.J. McCarthy Takes BIG Hit 😬

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He looked like anything but the long-term quarterback in Minnesota that Jefferson wants.

"It definitely will be great to have a quarterback, the same quarterback for these next couple years going down the line, but you already know that's something difficult to do in this league," the wide receiver said. "But for sure, to keep knowing that quarterback for these next couple years and build that relationship and create that spark, that's definitely the plan."

Jefferson still managed to surpass 1,000 yards receiving for the sixth straight year to start his career despite the inconsistent quarterback play. Perhaps Murray can provide some more consistency and rediscover the form that helped him win the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and then reach back-to-back Pro Bowls the following two years.

Murray has always been able to make plays with his legs, but injuries limited him to five games last season.

His ability to bounce back and return to the dual-threat playmaker he was at his peak could ultimately determine the Vikings' ceiling even with arguably the league's best receiver spearheading the aerial attack.