MINNEAPOLIS — The Vikings went into the season hoping for quarterback stability after using three different starting QBs in 2025. Instead, they’ll prepare for their second game of the season with their second different QB. Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings on Sunday in Chicago, coach Kevin O’Connell announced Friday, as the team waits to get Kyler Murray back from the concussion ...

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz throws a pass in the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Anthony Souffle/The Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS

MINNEAPOLIS — The Vikings went into the season hoping for quarterback stability after using three different starting QBs in 2025.

Instead, they’ll prepare for their second game of the season with their second different QB.

Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings on Sunday in Chicago, coach Kevin O’Connell announced Friday, as the team waits to get Kyler Murray back from the concussion protocol.

Wentz completed 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns in the Vikings’ 39-22 win over the Packers in their season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium. He entered the game after Murray suffered a concussion when Packers defenders Lukas Van Ness and Javon Bullard hit Murray on a scramble with 6:16 left in the first quarter.

Murray seemed in good spirits after the game, and O’Connell said Monday the quarterback didn’t have the kinds of symptoms that would prevent him from participating in film study or meetings.

Murray was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, but needs to be cleared by an independent neurological consultant in order to play. O’Connell said he anticipates that Murray will clear the NFL’s concussion protocol early next week.

The Vikings will instead start Wentz in a Week 2 matchup between a pair of 1-0 NFC North teams at Soldier Field.

It will be the 100th start of Wentz’s career, and his sixth for the Vikings. He went 2-3 in five starts last year, completing 65.1% of his passes for six touchdowns and five interceptions while J.J. McCarthy missed time with a high ankle sprain.

Wentz played his final 10 quarters of the season with his left shoulder in a harness after he suffered a torn labrum and fractured shoulder socket on a hit from Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger during the Vikings’ win in London. He left before the final series of the Vikings’ 38-10 loss to the Chargers last October, and had season-ending shoulder surgery after the game.

In addition to Wentz and McCarthy, the Vikings started former Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer twice last season after Wentz was lost for the year.

Brosmer is currently on the Vikings practice squad. McCarthy, who competed with Murray for the starting job in training camp, was the team’s emergency third QB for the Packers game behind Wentz.

McCarthy will serve as Wentz’s backup against the Bears.