An already extended offseason continues to get worse for Kyler Murray.
The 2018 Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick in 2019 has been getting flamed all offseason and his name was mentioned as a potential deterrent as the Cardinals seek to hire a new head coach after having fired Kliff Kingsbury at the end of the season.
Murray’s approach may be part of the problem.
“He hasn’t been the guy to set the tone for the rest of the organization, and that’s been problematic for them,” SI’s Albert Breer said on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday. “It really goes back to who he is — and I think that relates to his baseball background. … He wasn’t part of spring practice in college as a quarterback … because of baseball. It’s not that he doesn’t work hard, a lot of his work is directed differently.
“In his defense, he did get the guys together in Texas in the offseason. But when your quarterback isn’t showing up for half the offseason program, that’s a problem.”
Sean Payton, who interviewed with Arizona before opting to take the Broncos’ head coaching job, refuted Terry Bradshaw’s assertion that he didn’t want to take the Cardinals’ job because he “didn’t want to work with” Murray.
“I don’t hate Kyler Murray,” Payton said on “Up and Adams” on Thursday, calling Murray “extremely talented.”
Still, the obvious rift between Murray and Kingsbury was front-and-center as the Cardinals struggled their way to a 4-13 record on the season, with the star QB’s season ending in Week 14 with an ACL injury. The overarching questions following his massive $230 million extension included ones about his maturity. Those weren’t helped by heated screaming matches with receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Kingsbury, and he also got called out by current and former teammates.
Murray has led Arizona to a single playoff game — a 34-11 loss to the Rams in 2021 — in four seasons but has two Pro Bowl nods and a Rookie of the Year award . With concerns swirling around him and his availability for the start of the 2023 season in question, he may need to lend a hand in finding his next coach.
