Vikings sign Matt Corral: Minnesota signs controversial quarterback after JJ McCarthy's season ends

A quarter century ago, a then-unknown former indoor football star named Kurt Warner led the Rams to an unexpected title after starting quarterback Trent Green suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. While no one knows how the Vikings' 2024 season will pan out, its beginning is strikingly similar to that of the 1999 Rams.

On Friday, Minnesota officially placed rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy on the injured list after he Knee injury that ended the Vikings' season at the season opener against the Raiders. In a corresponding move, the team signed Matt Corral, whose professional career to date has had just as many ups and downs as Warner's at the same point in his career.

Like Warner, Corral has also found success in another league, winning each of his three recent games for the UFL's Birmingham Stallions. In this year's UFL conference championship game, Corral came off the bench and completed 9 of 11 passes for 120 yards and two touchdown passes to lead the Stallions to a victory over Michigan. Birmingham went on to win its third consecutive league title.

“I think Matt is a very talented individual, but more than anything, I think today was an incredible lesson in determination,” Stallions coach Skip Holtz said after the win over Michigan. “Not in four quarters of determination, but in two months of determination, having to stand on the sidelines. And yet he practiced every week, they split the reps to keep them both fit and ready. It would have been really easy for him to hang his head, sulk, pout, but yet he was all in and ready for his opportunity.”

Corral's determination was on display throughout his professional career. It started when he injured his leg in his final college game, a game many people in his position would not have attended. The injury was a bitter end to an otherwise brilliant season in which Corral set several school records.

Despite a successful two-year career at Ole Miss, Corral was not selected until the Panthers took him with the 94th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season did not last long, as he suffered a season-ending injury in Carolina's third preseason game.

A year later, Corral temporarily retired from football after being claimed off waivers by the Patriots (Carolina released him just before the start of the regular season). He didn't sign with anyone else before signing with the Stallions last February.

While his numbers in the UFL were nothing special, Corral won all three of his appearances in addition to working as a relief pitcher in Birmingham's victory over Michigan.

Corral joins a crowded Vikings quarterback roster that also includes new starter Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall. Corral is likely competing for the team's third quarterback position.

While the likelihood of Corral ever starting a game for the Vikings is slim, crazier things have happened. Just ask Warner and the 1999 Rams.