The Minnesota Vikings said on 5 November 2026 that Carson Wentz will start against the Buffalo Bills after Kyler Murray was ruled out with a hamstring strain. The decision fixes Minnesota's quarterback order for Monday's home game while leaving Murray's return date open.
Murray's strain prompts the switch
Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said the club confirmed Murray's strain after an evaluation and imaging. The Vikings regard his recovery as a week-to-week matter. O'Connell explained that Murray's movement is central to his game and an early return could make the injury more serious. The coach said playing him now would be “putting him at risk”.
O'Connell named Wentz as the starter and Max Brosmer as his backup. The selection applies to the Buffalo game. The Vikings have not given a specific return date for Murray. Their immediate plan is to prepare Wentz to lead the offence on Monday.
Wentz said after Thursday's practice that he felt comfortable in Minnesota's offence. He identified staying on the field and sustaining drives as priorities, and also spoke about getting receiver Justin Jefferson involved.
How Minnesota's quarterback position changed
SportsRivo compared the Vikings' earlier injury update with Thursday's announcement. On Monday, O'Connell described Murray's hamstring as sore and said the team was still evaluating it. He said a decision on Murray's availability could wait. Thursday's club report confirmed a strain, ruled Murray out of the Buffalo game and named Wentz to start. The change from an open assessment to a settled game plan is the key development.
Wentz has already stepped in for Murray this season. The Vikings' report says he took over when Murray left the Green Bay game under concussion protocol, then started the following contest at Chicago. Minnesota won both division games. Murray subsequently returned and played the entirety of the next five games, so Monday will be a fresh interruption to his run as starter. The Vikings' Thursday report also listed Minnesota and Buffalo with matching winning records entering their meeting.
What the decision means for the Bills game
- Wentz will lead the Vikings' offence against Buffalo, with Brosmer as the named backup. Minnesota therefore has its quarterback order in place before the game.
- Murray will miss the game while the hamstring strain heals. O'Connell said the club is avoiding a return that could aggravate the problem, and his week-to-week outlook leaves later availability undecided.
- Wentz has made sustaining drives and involving Jefferson priorities for his start, giving the offence a focus for its preparation.
Buffalo's visit is the confirmed next step
U.S. Bank Stadium lists the Vikings' home fixture against Buffalo for 9 November 2026. The club's report says Minnesota is practising on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before that Monday game. Wentz is due to start; Murray's timetable beyond this fixture remains week to week.
Source: Minnesota Vikings announcement