Earlier this week, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said that there is “no doubt” that Kyler Murray is the team’s franchise quarterback moving forward.
It was an encouraging vote of confidence, and Murray appreciated the boost from his coach even if he already knew how Gannon felt.
“It means a lot, but he’s told me that since Day One, so it was nothing that was in the back of my mind,” Murray said, via Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ official team website. “I wasn’t worried about it. I was just focused on going out there and playing well, proving them right.”
Murray added that the positive connection between him and Gannon was “instant” and that they “kind of speak the same language.”
The 26-year-old missed the first nine games of the season while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered during the back half of 2022. Arizona went 1-8 in those contests.
Since Murray has returned, the Cardinals have gone a much more respectable 3-4 as Murray has thrown for 1,537 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 64.7 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 86.8. He has also rushed for 211 yards and three scores.
Most recently, Murray went 25-for-31 with 232 yards, three touchdowns and a pick while carrying the ball five times for 24 yards in an impressive road win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Murray, who played his collegiate football at the University of Oklahoma, was selected by Arizona with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
After three impressive seasons to begin his NFL career, Murray was awarded with a massive $230.5 million contract extension from the Cards. However, a disappointing 2022 campaign and a rumored souring relationship with Cardinals brass had many wondering if Arizona would ultimately move on from Murray.
However, that does not seem to be the case, and odds are that Kyler Murray will be under center in the desert for the foreseeable future.
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