Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a concussion during the first quarter of Sunday’s Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium, ending his franchise debut early and forcing veteran Carson Wentz into action.
Kyler Murray Vikings Debut Against Green Bay Packers
Kyler Murray’s highly anticipated first appearance in a Minnesota uniform lasted less than a quarter before a collision brought his afternoon to an abrupt halt. The Packers held a 9-0 lead with 6:10 remaining in the first quarter when the incident occurred on a third-down play.
After joining Minnesota this offseason and ultimately earning the starting quarterback job, Murray entered Week 1 with an opportunity to begin a new chapter of his career against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Instead, his first appearance with the Vikings lasted less than a quarter before a scary hit brought his afternoon to an abrupt end.
It was an especially frustrating ending to Murray’s Vikings debut after his first pass attempt with the franchise was intercepted. Two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray’s Minnesota Vikings debut in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers went from bad to ugly in a hurry, as he threw an interception into double coverage after facing a Green Bay blitz on his first pass of the game before his day ended because of an injury in the first quarter.
The Hit From Javon Bullard and Murray’s Early Exit
Javon Bullard Hit on Kyler Murray
Murray scrambled right on a third-and-6 from the Minnesota 34-yard line and began sliding short of the marker. Green Bay safety Javon Bullard arrived as the quarterback went down, delivering a blow to the head that caused Murray’s helmet to come off. Lukas Van Ness was also closing from the other side on the play as Bullard hit him.
Murray sustained a hard, illegal blow to the head midway through the first quarter while sliding at the end of a third-down scramble. Safety Javon Bullard was flagged for unnecessary roughness, but was not ejected. Officials penalized Bullard 15 yards for unnecessary roughness, moving the chains for the Vikings with 6:16 left in the first quarter with Green Bay leading 9-0.
Murray remained on the turf following the collision as teammates immediately called for Minnesota’s medical staff. Murray stayed on the turf while Minnesota’s medical staff came out, then walked off under his own power and went to the locker room for further evaluation.
Kyler Murray is down after getting hit by Packers safety Javon Bullard as he slid. Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings' medical staff are out checking on Murray, who'll walk off on his own. Carson Wentz is in at QB,
wrote The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling.
Before exiting after taking 11 snaps, Murray finished 3-of-5 passing for 18 yards with an interception, and carried twice for nine yards.
Carson Wentz Takes Over the Offense in Minnesota
Carson Wentz Replaces Kyler Murray at U.S. Bank Stadium
Following the evaluation, the Vikings initially announced that Murray was being evaluated for a concussion before later officially ruling him out for the remainder of the game. Minnesota announced Murray has been downgraded to out with a concussion during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
With their newly acquired starter sidelined, Minnesota turned to veteran Carson Wentz to take over at quarterback in Murray’s absence. Wentz entered the season as Minnesota’s No. 2 quarterback after beating out J.J. McCarthy for the backup role earlier in the month, while J.J. McCarthy serves as the team’s emergency third quarterback. Eleven-year veteran Carson Wentz is filling in for the injured Murray to run the offense.
Attention will now shift toward Murray’s recovery and availability moving forward. With a concussion diagnosis, he’ll need to progress through the NFL’s concussion protocol before being cleared to return to action. As Sunday’s game continues to unfold and more becomes known about Murray’s status moving forward, followers can track all the latest updates, including how Minnesota fares with Wentz at the helm for the remainder of the afternoon.
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