The NFL must have learned its lesson about putting the Minnesota Vikings in primetime games. They gave the Vikings only four primetime spots for the 2026 season, compared to seven last year.
It was a year in which fans hoped J.J. McCarthy would look like a franchise quarterback. Instead, they faced a myriad of issues, and McCarthy didn’t look ready for the spotlight.
That leads fans to question what happened with this team in primetime in 2025 — and what it could mean for 2026.
They couldn’t handle the spotlight
Of the team’s seven primetime games in 2025, four occurred in the first five weeks of the season. The Vikings went 2-2 in those first four games, with thrilling wins over the Chicago Bears and then the Cleveland Browns in London. However, they suffered a bad loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ireland, and a shocker at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons before going overseas.
In the three other primetime slots, the Los Angeles Chargers embarrassed the Vikings on Thursday night, Minnesota won a meaningless game against the Dallas Cowboys, and the Detroit Lions gave the purple a Christmas present in one of the weirdest games ever.
In those seven contests, fans got to see each of their QBs make at least one start. McCarthy made two, Carson Wentz made three, and Max Brosmer won his lone primetime start. While offensive line injuries and inconsistent play plagued the team throughout the season, the national stage magnified them, inviting further scrutiny.
These performances further raised the question of whether McCarthy was ready for the bright lights, prompting the front office to grab Kyler Murray in the off-season.
So, the question becomes, how will 2026 be different under similar bright lights?
2026 opponents
The first Vikings game in primetime this season isn’t until the halfway point. Still, the league didn’t do them any favors. All but one were playoff teams last season.
In Week 9, the Vikings welcome the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. At that point in the season, there should be a direction for this team to progress. It could also be after the deadline, which would provide further insight into their direction.
The team then travels to Mexico City, where they will have their hands full against the San Francisco 49ers. The NFL has the Vikings playing outside the United States again. They lost their first international game in Ireland, putting the team at 9-1.
They will play their Week 14 game on Thursday night in Foxborough against the AFC Champion New England Patriots. If the Vikings look like a playoff team, this could be the matchup that highlights their improvement from last year. If the team looks like it did last season, it could be the moment that shows it’s more than a quarterback away from being a contender.
The last primetime game is against the Detroit Lions, the only team of the four not to make the playoffs, a week later. This is still a divisional game, although the plus side is that the Vikings are at home.
While Minnesota’s schedule only has four primetime games, they could earn more.
Flex options
There are currently two games that don’t have a day or a time scheduled: Week 16 against the Washington Commanders and Week 18 facing the Bears, both at home. Each game brings a different factor into whether or not they move to a Saturday game.
Week 16 will depend not only on how well the Vikings are doing but also on Washington being a competitive team. If either team proves non-competitive by that point, they will likely play this game during the noon window on Sunday.
Every Week 18 kickoff is TBA. It’s here where the last playoff spots are on the line. If the Bears or Vikings are in a heated battle for the division or a Wild Card spot, we should expect a Saturday game. If it’s between these two teams and the winner wins the NFC North, I would expect it to be the Sunday night game.
Last year, the Vikings were in the spotlight early and often. They enter this season with +525 betting odds to win their division, good for fourth of four. Fans must appreciate what this team learned from being in the spotlight last season and understand that this lack of primetime viewership could help them become dark horses in the ever-competitive NFC.
