Q&A: Everything you need to know about Kyler Murray's future
It’s still all about Kyler Murray.
The Arizona Cardinals might have lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 34-20 behind Joe Burrow’s 317 yards passing and three touchdowns on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
But those results are secondary to the future of Arizona’s injured franchise quarterback, which is the top topic of debate everywhere from mainstream media to social media and from talk radio to barbershop talk.
Sometimes, it’s a knot of rumors from somebody who knows a guy whose cousin works for Kyler’s plumber. Other times, it’s a tangle of speculation based on interpretations of partial quotes from unnamed “sources around the league.”
Either way, it’s a mess.
When is he coming back? Will he be the same player he was before? Isn’t he too short? What about baseball? Is he a poor leader? Don’t his teammates hate him? Shouldn’t the Cardinals lose games on purpose to get the No. 1 draft pick so they can get Caleb Williams from USC? What about Josh Dobbs? Doesn’t Murray play video games too much? … And what’s all this got to do with Joe Burrow and the Bengals?
I’ll do the best I can to help you out with all this. For context, I’ve covered the Cardinals since the Bruce Arians era and have said all along that the new front office should be looking to build a Super Bowl contender around Murray, rather than looking to trade him.
Let’s start with that last question first.
QUESTION: What does Joe Burrow have to do with Kyler Murray?
ANSWER: In a lot of ways, they’re the same guy. The only real difference is that Burrow has been to two AFC championship games and a Super Bowl, and Murray has played his entire career for Kliff Kingsbury.
Both have proved themselves as being among the top young quarterbacks in the NFL. Both have signed big contracts that take up an outsized chunk of their team’s salary allotment. And both have been hurt this year.
Burrow had been playing poorly, fighting through a calf injury that limited his mobility. Predictably, the team struggled.
A loss against the Cardinals, even this early in the season, would have pushed to the brink of ruin the Bengals chances to play in a third-consecutive AFC championship game.
Some analysts were suggesting that Cincinnati bench Burrow so that he could heal up and so that the team could lose games and improve its draft position if this season was going to be a lost cause, anyway.
Plenty of people are suggesting the Cardinals tank, too. But since Murray hasn’t had a deep playoff run, there are plenty of people who also think the team should move on from him.
But Burrow looked good Sunday, and so did his team.
Critics should try to remember that as they consider what the Cardinals should do with Murray.
Q: When is he coming back? And will he be the same player he was before?
A: Hard to say. ACL tears take months to heal for everyday people. Murray is looking to restore such uncommon athleticism that in some ways, there’s no precedent for a timetable on his recovery.
It took Tom Brady a year to recover from his ACL tear. But he wasn’t as mobile.
It took Jerry Rice a year. But even he couldn’t do the stuff Murray can do.
And then there are the horrifying worst-case scenarios from the NBA: Klay Thompson and Derrick Rose. Their journeys took years — plural.
The anniversary of Murray’s injury will come in early December. He could be back against the 49ers on Dec. 17. Maybe. Maybe sooner. Maybe not at all this season.
Anyone who says they know for sure has a DeLorean Time Machine parked in the garage.
Q: Isn’t he too short?
A: The guy has accounted for 107 touchdowns in 57 career games. What are we talking about?
Q: What about baseball?
A: I’ve never once heard him mention baseball. The first question I asked him on his first day in town was ‘How much do you miss baseball?’ He dismissed me with a scoff and said, ‘Next question.’
Also, do you really think he could just go play baseball after a five-year layoff? Because I don’t.
Q: Is he a poor leader? Don’t his teammates hate him?
A: He’s a poor leader inasmuch as his teams haven’t had postseason success.
Murray’s teammates — the ones I’ve talked to, and I’ve talked to plenty — all love him. They know he can do things that no one else can.
Murray has a fiery personality, and he’s not afraid to bark at his coach or his top receiver if he thinks they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. Tom Brady was like that, too, and nobody ever seemed to criticize him for it.
Again, the difference is winning. And Murray can’t do that by himself.
Q: Shouldn’t the Cardinals lose games on purpose to get the No. 1 draft pick so they can get Caleb Williams from USC?
A: I’ve seen Williams in-person at the Coliseum and at Mountain America Stadium. Plus, I’ve watched him a bunch on TV. Love that guy’s game. He’s going to be a star.
But I’d stick with Murray because he’s every bit as accurate as a passer and even more of a running threat.
Not to mention, losing is always bad.
Q: What about Josh Dobbs?
A: He’s making the most of his opportunity. I could see him as one of those guys who plays for 15 years or more and then goes right into coaching. The Cardinals are lucky to have him. Any team in the league would be.
Q: Doesn’t Murray play video games too much?
A: We’re monitoring hobbies now? This sounds to me like another way of calling Murray aloof, and if you want to do that, nothing I can say will stop you.
But think of it this way: The guy was a top draft pick in baseball and football. He’s a Heisman winner, an offensive rookie of the year and a Pro Bowler.
And he’s done all that despite needing to sit on his playbook to see over his steering wheel. He took a regular body and turned himself into an extraordinary competitor.
I don’t expect him to be able to relate to average people because he’s not an average person. Not mentally. Size-wise, he happens to be very average, which only serves to make him more remarkable.
Anyway, like I said earlier, he’s got the locker room on his side, and players know better than anybody.
If he was a jerk who couldn’t throw, he’d already be gone. But as long as he’s still here, it’s still all about Kyler Murray.
Reach Moore at gmoore@azcentral.com or 602-444-2236. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @SayingMoore.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Q&A: Forget the Bengals loss, it's all about Kyler Murray in Arizona
