Am I, like, the 1,000th person to suggest that Kyler Murray just play baseball?
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) November 5, 2025
OK, look: I know this is silly. I know that Kyler Murray has shown flashes of the quarterback who was taken first overall by the Arizona Cardinals way back in 2019, that he can be electrifying on the ground and through the air.
But now that Murray has officially been benched by the Cards for Jacoby Brissett — his foot injury has to be a big reason here but still — there are some fans wondering if he’s finally at the point of leaving football for baseball, since he was drafted ninth overall by the Athletics in the 2018 draft.
MORE NFL: Where Cardinals players land in our Week 10 QB rankings
Before you go shouting, “NO ONE IS SAYING THAT!” here’s some proof:
If Kyler Murray goes back to baseball does he have to play for the Athletics or is he a free agent
— Ceddanne Rafaela Enjoyer (@RafaelaEnjoyer) November 4, 2025Would Kyler Murray have to go back to the Athletics if he returned to baseball?
Yes. The A’s drafted him and therefore they retain his baseball rights. For what it’s worth: He’s 28 years old. He’s kind of old to be leaving the NFL for MLB.
What are Kyler Murray’s NFL contract details?
This is the bigger point here. Dude is getting paid thanks to a five-year, $230.5 million extension with $160 million in guarantees. He’s in the second year of that deal. If he were to be cut by the Cardinals, they’d have a $54 million dead cap hit. Which brings us to…
Could the Cardinals trade Kyler Murray in the offseason?
… Maybe? That to me is the more likely route if the franchise feels he’s not the QB to lead them. So, no, I don’t think baseball is in the, er, cards for him.