GLENDALE – Tuesday was a day for mourning Arizona Cardinals fans, saying goodbye to franchise cornerstone Kyler Murray. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Arizona informed Murray that it’ll be releasing him when the new league year begins on March 11th. Soon after the news broke, the seven-year Cardinals quarterback took to social media to thank his fans and the people of Arizona for bringing him in.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In his statement, Murray used the heartbreaking phrase, “I am sorry I failed us,” when referring to not ending the franchise’s 77-year championship drought. However, now that his time with the organization is over, a retrospective of Murray’s career up to his release is warranted to see where it went wrong.
Apr 26, 2019; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill (left) alongside quarterback Kyler Murray prior to being introduced to the media in a press conference at the Cardinals Training Facility after being drafted with the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
What is to blame for the ugly breakup?
The 28-year-old was the unanimous choice first overall in the 2019 draft out of Oklahoma, making two Pro Bowl selections in two of his first three seasons. The world was in his hands following 2021 before drama and injuries buried him.
In the 2022 offseason, following a swift first-round exit to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs, Murray and the Cardinals entered contract negotiations. The star QB did end the franchise’s six-year playoff drought at the time and wanted compensation, but the team seemingly didn’t trust him. Reports leaked of Arizona putting a clause limiting Murray’s video gaming while watching film.
Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury hugs Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) after a Cardinals loss during a game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sept. 29, 2024. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The news tanked Murray’s perceptions with the fans and media, blaming his leisure habits for the Cardinals’ shortcoming. Then general manager Steve Keim and owner Michael Bidwill were seemingly trying to do damage control for how a team that started the 2021 season 7-0 became first-round exits.
Keim did trade for All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in 2020, which helped lead to the eventual success two seasons later. However, when looking at the draft following Murray selection, the skill position players taken were Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler, KeeSean Johnson and Rondale Moore. Keim couldn’t draft a weapon for Murray and decided to trade a 2022 first-round pick for Hollywood Brown from the Baltimore Ravens.
Dec 13, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim looks towards the stands before Monday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
Nfl Los Angeles Rams At Arizona Cardinals
Brown played in Arizona for two seasons and combined for 1,283 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, while the Ravens drafted three-time Pro Bowler center Tyler Linderbaum with the eventual pick. Since 2019, the only player Keim drafted that is still on the roster was Murray, linebacker Zaven Collins and tight end Trey McBride.
It didn’t get much better under now GM Monti Ossenfort. Since taking over in 2023, Ossenfort has drafted zero Pro Bowlers and famously traded the 2023 third overall pick away to the Houston Texans that turned into All-Pro Will Anderson. The very next trade, he made a deal to take the 12th pick just received from the Texans to the Detroit Lions for 6th to select Paris Johnson Jr., with the other pick become Jahmyr Gibbs.
Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Johnson has become a solid tackle for the franchise, while Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. are two capable weapons for Murray to succeed. Despite the slight improvement with offensive personnel, the defense fell off a cliff. Throughout his career, Murray has never had a top 10 defense, and when head coach Jonathan Gannon and Ossenfort took over the defense went downhill.
From 2023 to 2025, Arizona has had the 31st, 15th and 29th scoring defense in the NFL. The Cardinals defense has only ranked higher than the offense once since drafting Murray. Since 2020, the franchise is 5-25 without Murray and 33-38 with him, which is a nearly .300 improvement.
Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Despite the draft shortcomings, the constant public shaming and tearing his ACL, Murray remained committed. He returned midseason in 2023 and rose back to his old self the following season. Murray’s 2024 saw him throw for 3,851 passing yards, 26 total touchdowns and 11 interceptions. A rough end to the year had the Cardinals just missing the playoffs, but fans finally had something to believe in and it started with Murray.
The potential for Arizona in 2025 was so high no one considered the floor, and it went below it. A 2-3 start, with three one-possession losses, had fans and the franchise on the ropes. Murray suffered a foot injury in Week 5, forcing backup Jacoby Brissett to step in. Brissett wasn’t winning games but his numbers were better than Murray under center, leading to the team making a questionable decision of benching the franchise quarterback vs. the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.
Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) leaves the field after defeating the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The organization decided to embarrass Murray in his home state by making it seem he was ready to play on national TV Monday Night, but on the day of switched him to an emergency backup. Arizona won the game and many members of the franchise took the opportunity to take victory laps, as they saw it as proof that Murray was the problem. Granted that game would remain the Cardinals only remaining win of the season, losing nine straight.
Regardless, Bidwill and Ossenfort were determined to clean house following the season. Gannon was fired and Murray was obviously next on the chopping block. Bidwill surprisingly decided to keep Ossenfort, which might’ve been because the two share the same opinion on moving on from Murray.
While that is an unconfirmed opinion, Murray’s post about wishing Gannon the best in a goodbye on Twitter the day after the firing showcases his close relationship to the former head coach. The post makes it clear that the benching likely wasn’t Gannon’s idea and came from above.
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort speak to the press from the Arizona Cardinals training center in Tempe after the decision to fire head coach Jonathan Gannon on Jan. 5, 2026.
Since that day, Murray’s name became taboo during any press conference with Bidwill, Ossenfort or new head coach Mike LaFleur. The team was ready to get rid of Murray and start fresh, for a player that they have used constantly as a scapegoat for the franchise’s constant failures.
The recently NFLPA grade F-rated owner Bidwill has inadvertently and advertently used Murray as a constant crutch for why the team never succeeded. While Arizona since 2019 has only drafted one Pro Bowler, gone through two head coaches, never had a top 10 defense, only top 10 in spending twice and constantly rated as one of the worst-run organization in football via NFLPA, surely the release of Murray will be the answer to turn around the franchise.
Where will Kyler Murray play next season after release from Cardinals?
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
