Kyler Murray’s 2025 season has officially come to a close.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed Friday that Murray won’t return to the field this year, as his recovery from a lingering foot injury hasn’t gone the way the team had hoped. It’s a tough blow for both Murray and the Cardinals, especially considering how much this season was supposed to be about building momentum and continuity under Gannon’s leadership.
Murray’s injury dates back to Arizona’s Week 5 loss to the Titans, when he exited the game and was initially labeled as day-to-day. But as the weeks went on, it became clear this was more serious than expected. He was placed on injured reserve on November 5, and now, with the calendar turning to December, the team has decided to shut him down for good.
Before the injury, Murray had made five starts, completing 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Cardinals went 2-3 in those games - not exactly a hot start, but Murray showed flashes of the dynamic playmaker he’s always been when healthy. And that’s the key word: when healthy.
This marks the third time in the last four seasons that Murray has missed significant time due to injury, and that’s starting to become a real concern for a franchise that made a major investment in him. Back in 2022, Murray signed a long-term deal that still has two years remaining. The hope was that he’d be the centerpiece of a new era in Arizona - a dual-threat quarterback with elite arm talent and the mobility to extend plays and frustrate defenses.
And we’ve seen what that version of Murray looks like. In 2021, he led the Cardinals to an 11-6 record, starting 14 games and helping the team reach the playoffs for the first time since the Bruce Arians era. That was the high-water mark of his career so far - a season where it looked like everything might finally be clicking in the desert.
But since then, it’s been a rollercoaster. Gannon took over as head coach in 2023, and while there have been moments of promise, the team has yet to post a winning season under his leadership.
Last year, with Murray healthy for the full slate, the Cardinals finished 8-9. Statistically, Murray was solid - 11th in passing yards, seventh in completion percentage, and 13th in touchdown passes - but the team just couldn’t quite get over the hump.
Now, with Murray sidelined again, Arizona faces a familiar set of questions. Can their franchise quarterback stay on the field?
Can Gannon steer this team back toward contention without consistent play at the most important position? And what does the future look like for a roster that’s still trying to find its identity?
There’s no denying Murray’s talent. When he’s right, he’s one of the most electric quarterbacks in the league. But availability is part of the equation, and right now, that’s the piece that keeps slipping away.
The Cardinals will have to navigate the rest of the season without their QB1, and with two years left on Murray’s deal, the next chapter in this story is going to be a crucial one - for the player, the coach, and the franchise as a whole.