Report: Cardinals Teammate Anonymously Criticizes Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray reportedly received grief from an anonymous teammate after the team's 4-13 season.

Author:
Ryan Sanudo
Publish date:
Jan 13, 2023 11:40 AM EST

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Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals finished the 2022 season 4-13, which led to the firing of head coach Kliff Kingsbury. General manager Steve Keim also stepped down due to personal health reasons.

It didn't take long for one anonymous Cardinals veteran to call out Kyler Murray and the repercussions that ensued for the team once he received a five-year, $230 million contract in the offseason.

“It was like they created a monster,” the player told Michael Silver of Bally Sports.

According to the report, Murray “felt less compulsion to study his game plan or to fulfill the expectations of the franchise QB position” than he had in the past. The Cardinals took a nosedive in 2022 after making the playoffs in the previous year.

Murray had made the Pro Bowl in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, which led to the Cardinals signing the 25-year-old through the 2028 season. However, reporters discovered the contract included an addendum clause that required the 25-year-old quarterback to spend at least four hours of "independent study" per week. Plenty of media attention surrounded the addendum, which led to the Cardinals removing the clause.

Things went sour in hurry in the 2022 season for Arizona. Murray and Kingsbury showed tension at times on the sidelines during games for the whole world to see, and reports off the field confirmed suspicions of a potential breakup between the two.

The tension reportedly became “obvious” to others in the building as Murray-Kingsbury, who both entered with the Cardinals in 2019, struggled with direct communication.

Arizona entered the Week 13 bye with a 4-8 record. Murray then suffered a torn ACL in Week 14 and will likely not be able to start the 2023 season.

Uncertainty will continue in 23' as the Cardinals are set to see 31 Cardinals players enter free agency. The Score's Jordan Schultz also reported Arizona is planning to trade Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in the upcoming offseason.

But first, the Cardinals will have to figure out who their next head coach and general manager will be.

Arizona owner Michael Bidwill said in a press conference on Jan. 9 that Murray will have guidance on the team's search for a new head coach.