Kyler Murray, the Cardinals, and a Franchise at a Crossroads
When the Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, they weren’t just drafting a quarterback - they were making a statement. After years of searching for stability under center, Arizona was betting big on a 5-foot-10 dynamo out of Oklahoma who had already defied expectations at every level.
Murray’s story is well known in Texas football circles. A legend at Allen High School, he led the Eagles to three straight state championships and built a résumé that placed him among the most decorated high school quarterbacks the state has ever seen. That success carried into college, where he exploded onto the national scene in 2018, winning the Heisman Trophy and earning first-team All-American honors in his lone season as the Sooners’ starter.
The Cardinals saw enough to make him the face of their franchise. And early on, it looked like they might have struck gold.
Murray won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and followed it up with back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances. His dual-threat ability and electric playmaking gave Arizona fans something they hadn’t felt in a while: hope.
But fast forward to 2025, and that hope has faded into uncertainty. The Cardinals are 3-10 and staring down the barrel of what could be one of the worst seasons in franchise history. And once again, the conversation has shifted to the quarterback position - not because Murray can’t play, but because he hasn’t been able to stay on the field or consistently elevate the team around him.
Injuries have been a recurring theme in Murray’s NFL journey. Knee, foot, ankle, hamstring - you name it, he’s probably dealt with it.
The latest setback, a foot injury suffered in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, landed him on injured reserve and ended his season prematurely. It’s the kind of pattern that makes even the most loyal front office start asking tough questions.
But the challenges haven’t just been physical. Murray’s early years were spent under head coach Kliff Kingsbury, an offensive mind who was supposed to unlock his full potential.
Instead, the partnership never fully clicked. And in a division that features perennial contenders like the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks, Arizona’s margin for error is razor-thin.
If you don’t have a quarterback who can lead and elevate - not just flash - you fall behind fast.
Now, with the 2025 season winding down and the Cardinals likely to hold a top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, the future at quarterback is very much in question. Arizona has several needs - the offensive line chief among them - but the quarterback position casts the longest shadow.
Names like Dante Moore (Oregon), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and Drew Allar (Penn State) are already surfacing as potential targets. Each brings a different skill set, but all represent a possible fresh start at the most important position in football. And for a franchise that hasn’t tasted playoff success since the Kurt Warner era, that kind of reset might be hard to pass up.
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and the current staff have their hands full trying to get through the rest of the season. The offense has sputtered, and without Murray, the issues have only become more glaring. The team is searching for answers, not just for Week 15, but for the long haul.
So where does that leave Kyler Murray?
It’s a complicated question. On one hand, he’s still just 28, with elite athleticism and a résumé that includes accolades most quarterbacks would dream of. On the other, durability concerns and the lack of consistent team success have clouded what once looked like a franchise-defining pick.
The Cardinals will have some soul-searching to do this offseason. Whether they decide to double down on Murray or turn the page with a new quarterback in the draft, one thing is clear: Arizona is at a pivotal moment. The next move could shape the direction of the franchise for years to come.