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Minnesota Vikings QB Kyler Murray is looking for a fresh start under head coach Kyler Murray. Both the team and the player are looking to benefit from this one-year commitment, as Minnesota wants reliable play from the signal-caller, while Murray wants to prove he’s a starting QB.
Now that his time with the Arizona Cardinals is over, David Spade took a light jab at his team’s former quarterback. The Cardinals fan referenced the player’s reported “independent study“ clause, per Pro Football Talk, using it as the punchline to his joke.
“Kyler Murray was the [Cardinals] quarterback, and he went to the Vikings, [so the question is] will he read the playbook?“ Spade said during an April 15 appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “These are just questions that people asked me to ask [Rich Eisen].
“There was a rumor that there were some problems in the contracts. [Murray] didn’t like to read the playbook… Listen, I have bad news. When I do a movie, they love it when I read the script. They don’t insist on it, but they like it, and some movies you’ve seen, and you go, ‘I don’t think he read the script.‘ I didn’t think at the point it was a horrible ask [for Murray to read the playbook].”
Cardinals HC Gets Blunt About Kyler Murray’s Departure
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has played a role in Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones bouncing back, and now Murray wants to be the next QB to benefit from spending time with O’Connell.
After a foot injury ended his 2025 season, the Cardinals decided it was time for both parties to part ways. On March 30, Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur spoke about Murray’s exit from Arizona.
“It’s one of those things that sometimes it’s just good for both parties to part ways, if you will,“ LaFleur told reporters (h/t Bo Brack of PHNX Cardinals). “So again, we wish him the best. He had a lot of success here.
“I know when I was on the other sideline, [Murray] was a problem. And again, wish him all the success, but we felt like this was the best thing moving forward.”
Murray turned in a 72.2 overall PFF grade during the 2025 season, placing 22nd out of 43 qualified quarterbacks, and his 69.5 passing grade landed in the same spot at the position.
Across 962 snaps and 195 dropbacks, he totaled 962 passing yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He logged four big-time throws against three turnover-worthy plays, pointing to generally steady decisions, even under pressure.
His average depth of target checked in at 6.4 yards, while he got the ball out in about 2.91 seconds. He also contributed on the ground with 145 scramble yards and a rushing score, finishing with a 71.4 rushing grade.
Vikings Hit With Kyler Murray Concern Ahead of 2026 Season
Before any snaps are taken, Murray is seen as the favorite for the starting job. However, former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber doesn’t see it that way, as he raised a few concerns.
“Kyler probably, in their mind, is on top of the depth chart, but as I look at it right now, I don’t think you can say that,“ Leber said during an appearance on KFAN on March 23. “The guy has so many question marks. Kyler Murray, speaking of, has so many question marks about whether or not he can fit within this offense.
“There’s going to have to be a compromise from KOC in the plays he calls and the type of style he wants from his quarterback. There’s also going to have to be a measure of movement with Kyler Murray in what he can actually do in this offense. The amount of under-center plays that Kyler Murray has faced in his first seven years in Arizona is a fraction of what [O’Connell] wants.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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