The Arizona Cardinals enter Week 9 uncertain about the status of quarterback Kyler Murray, who was limited in practice for the second straight day, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, ahead of Monday night’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Dealing with a toe and foot injury suffered in Week 5, Murray has missed the past two games and continued to work on a restricted basis this week. During Friday’s practice, backup Jacoby Brissett took the majority of first-team reps, throwing to top targets Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride, while Murray primarily worked with reserve receivers such as Simi Fehoko and Xavier Weaver. Brissett attempted 16 passes during team drills, compared to eight for Murray, indicating that Arizona may again be preparing its veteran backup to start.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Thursday that the Cardinals are preparing Murray to start, but the quarterback’s limited workload raises continued doubts about his readiness. The team listed Murray as a limited participant throughout Week 7 before ruling him inactive on game day, and despite the extra rest from the bye, his status for Week 9 remains uncertain.
The 28-year-old's absence would be significant, especially given his perfect 9-0 record at AT&T Stadium, spanning his time with Allen High School (5-0), Texas A&M (1-0), Oklahoma (1-0), and Arizona (2-0). In those two NFL wins over Dallas, Murray combined for 377 passing yards and four touchdowns, including a 38-10 rout in 2020 and a 25-22 victory in 2022, his only win against Dak Prescott to date.
Brissett, meanwhile, has thrown for 599 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception over the past two games, both ending in losses. The 10-year veteran holds a 19-36 career record as a starter.
Arizona (2-5) will need stability under center as they face the Cowboys (3-4-1), who are seeking to rebound at home. Arizona’s offense ranks 19th in scoring (21.9 PPG) and 22nd in total yardage (310.3 YPG), while its defense sits 13th in points allowed (22.0 PPG). Murray has been the engine of the offense this season, completing 68.3% of passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions, along with 173 rushing yards and a score in five games.
The Cardinals listed Emari Demercado (ankle), Zay Jones (knee), BJ Ojulari (knee), Walter Nolen III (calf), Garrett Williams (knee), and Kitan Crawford (ankle) as limited participants on Friday. The team will release its final injury designations after Saturday’s practice, but Murray’s availability remains the biggest question heading into Monday night’s primetime matchup in Arlington.
