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The Arizona Cardinals wished Kyler Murray a happy birthday by bringing back one of his top offensive linemen for the 2025 season. After re-signing with the team, Will Hernandez sent his own birthday message to his quarterback, with whom he is delighted to remain.
Shortly after the news of his new contract broke, Hernandez shared his reaction on Instagram. The 29-year-old guard expressed excitement about “running it back” with Murray in 2025 as he wished his friend a happy 28th birthday.
“[Kyler Murray] let's run it back?” Hernandez wrote. “Just missing the bow but I'm here! Happy birthday mijo! Let's get it this season.”
From Hernandez 👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/vCNTPvKbjT
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 7, 2025
Hernandez signed with the Cardinals in 2022 after beginning his career with the New York Giants. He has started all 30 of his games with Arizona, including the first five of 2024, before suffering a torn ACL. Hernandez had a career year in 2023 and was on track for another one prior to the injury.
The injury kept Hernandez on the market longer than he would have hoped. Yet, after recently getting cleared, he officially returns to the team on a one-year deal. Whether or not he returns to the starting lineup remains to be seen.
Kyler Murray, Will Hernandez lead Cardinals' 2025 offense
Once he returns to the practice field, Hernandez will compete with Evan Brown, Isaiah Adams and Hayden Conner for a place in the starting lineup. Brown, Hernandez and Adams all started a handful of games in 2024, with Brown's 97.6 percent snap share leading the way.
By maintaining consistency up front, the Cardinals expect improvement in 2025. Arizona went 8-9 in its second season under Jonathan Gannon, a four-game improvement from the team's previous two seasons. While encouraging, they still have just one playoff appearance in the last nine years.
Overall, the Cardinals' entire offense returns in 2025. They were only a mediocre group in 2024, but several key pieces, namely 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr., will be relied on to make substantial improvements. With the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers all making at least one seismic change in the offseason, Arizona has as good a chance as any team to return to the playoffs.
Once the season begins, the experienced Cardinals team will have a solid chance to get off to a strong start. They do not face a 2024 playoff team until Week 7, when they host the Green Bay Packers. Arizona might not be favored to win each of its first six contests, but it should enter its Week 8 bye with a winning record.
