Cardinals forcing Kyler Murray to study as part of new contract
Oct 28, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Green Bay Packers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Kyler Murray’s contract with the Arizona Cardinals indicates the team is having concerns about the quarterback’s work ethic.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Monday shared a screenshot from a page in Murray’s new contract. Rapoport says the contract calls for Murray to complete four hours of “independent study” ahead of each game during the season.
Contracts are about give-and-take. One example from #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract: There is an addendum that requires 4 hours of “independent study” per game week. It was important to the team making a commitment at that level, thus it was important to Murray. pic.twitter.com/VqrkvoBQLJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022
That clause is a serious red flag.
If Murray were already handling his studies well, why would the team even need to include that language in his contract? Do you think teams needed to mandate independent study time for Tom Brady or Peyton Manning? Those guys lived to prepare for opponents.
Coming out of college, there were questions about Murray’s leadership and study habits. Though Murray is talented, it seems like the issues surrounding his study habits have persisted. The questions about his leadership have remained too.
The Cardinals spent time during the offseason seemingly unsure about giving Murray a big contract. Perhaps questions about the QB’s study habits contributed to their hesitation. They ended up giving him a 5-year deal, $230.5 million deal with $160 million guaranteed.
