It’s put up or shut up time for the Arizona Cardinals franchise quarterback.
Kyler Murray is heading into the 2025 season with everything on the line.
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Murray has been in Arizona since 2019Credit: Getty
The former first overall pick of the 2019 draft, has underwhelmed during his time in Arizona. Murray has provided moments and sparks, but overall has been a disappointment in the desert.
In the last six seasons with Murray at the helm, they have only made the playoffs once, having no wins to show for it.
Yet the talent that the 27-year-old possesses has always been evident, and appealing. That’s why in 2022, the Cardinals signed Murray to a five-year, $230.5 million contract.
A contract that at first included a puzzling clause.
A clause that was classified as an ‘independent study’ clause that required their franchise quarterback to, ‘spend at least four hours a week watching film’ and specifically noted that he couldn’t be watching TV or playing video games during that study time.
It had a very helicopter-parent type feel to it, which painted Murray in a bad light, as his reputation was all of a sudden someone who needed to be babysat and have his hand held.
Once news of the clause became public, the Cardinals quickly revoked it.
“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the Cardinals said in a statement.
“It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract.”
Murray himself wasn’t too pleased with how that clause made him look.
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Murray has zero postseason victories under his beltCredit: Getty
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The Cardinals are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021Credit: Getty
“To think that I can accomplish everything I’ve accomplished and not be a student of the game and not have that passion and not take it serious, it’s disrespectful and almost a joke,” Murray said at the time.
“I’m honestly flattered that you all think I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it seriously. It’s disrespectful to my peers, to all the great athletes in this league. This game is too hard. To play the position I play in this league, it’s too hard.”
It was a clear and embarrassing admission of a lack of trust that the Cardinals front office had with Murray. No matter if they had removed it, it’s hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Murray is known to be an avid video gamer, but to go as far as to put such a bizarre clause in the contract is a bit dramatic and over the top, yet the Cardinals did and revealed their hand in the process.
Fast forward nearly three years since signing the deal, and Murray now heads into a season that feels make or break.
He’s still under contract through 2028, and if the Cardinals were to move off of him, they would owe him a lot of money, but it isn’t unthinkable. They could also entertain trade offers, should the opportunity present itself.
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The two-time Pro Bowler has all the tools; it’s just a matter of putting it all together and consistently playing at a high level, week in and week out.
Going into his seventh season, it may be hard to believe if he actually can, as his first six years haven’t shown any real consistent signs.
Yet, he is still only 27, has a few more guaranteed years left on his contract, is surrounded by star weapons in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride. There’s no reason Murray can’t get Arizona back to the postseason for the first time since 2021.
It’s a big year for Murray, one that could have huge ramifications going forward in the desert.