Kyler Murray isn’t on the field with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2023 offseason. But he's not completely absent, either. As the star quarterback works his way back from an ACL tear, he is in attendance at the team's OTAs and providing vocal leadership. New head coach Jonathan Gannon is a massive fan of what he's seeing.
Murray is helping the team however he can as he rehabs his right knee, acting as a sort of player-coach to guide teammates during drills and scrimmages. Gannon is very pleased with the way his quarterback is staying active with the team, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.
“He’s been here,” Gannon said, via ESPN. “He’s been the first one in the building, been here after everybody goes, and I got to spend a lot of time with him during…OTA periods and just seeing how he’s working…You can tell he’s really, really locked in, how much he’s itching to get back out there. He’s behind the huddles every play, so really locked in and really excited for his return and just his whole process.”
Article Continues BelowMany of Murray's teammates — including wide receivers Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore, backup quarterback Colt McCoy and left tackle D.J. Humphries — echoed the sentiments of Gannon. The Cardinals may not be a good team in the 2023 NFL season but they may play harder and for each other more than they have in a while. Murray continuing to provide insight and motivation will only help.
“I was a Kyler Murray fan before,” Humphries said, via ESPN. “I'm a big Kyler Murray fan now, though, for sure.” These are the types of vibes the Cardinals have sorely missed in recent memory. Unity can go a long way as Arizona embraces another rebuilding year.
Not too long ago, the Cardinals put a clause in Kyler Murray's contract extension that dictated him to study film. The clause, which was removed after intense backlash, signaled that the team thought he was talented but not a true leader. Now, Murray is flipping the script and being exactly that. He and Arizona have a lot to prove when he gets back onto the field. But as far as what he's doing right now, he's helping his team a bunch.