What happened: Murray owns a 92.2 career passer rating and 79.9 PFF passing grade, compared with McCarthy's 72.6 rating and 60.1 grade. He also averages 36.7 rushing yards per game against McCarthy's 18.1.
Why it matters: Minnesota gave Murray the 2026 opener after signing him to a one-year deal. McCarthy moves to the backup role after going 6-4 across 10 starts last season.
By the numbers: Murray leads McCarthy by 19.6 points in career passer rating, 19.8 points in PFF passing grade and 18.6 rushing yards per game. Their starting records are 38-48-1 and 6-4, respectively.
What to watch: Murray's first regular-season start for Minnesota will show how quickly the veteran can translate that statistical advantage into the new offense.