Internet sleuth argues Kyler Murray plays worse on big video game weekends

Oct 24, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Houston Texans in the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Kyler Murray is known for being a gamer both on and off the field. The Arizona Cardinals star is a big fan of video games, and many believe that is why the team wanted a clause in Murray’s new contract to assure that the star quarterback is working hard enough. One internet sleuth has taken that to the next level.

Someone supposedly conducted a statistical analysis that shows how Murray plays on weekends where the popular “Call of Duty” video game offers what are known as “Double XP” events. “XP” stands for experience points and is basically the game’s ranking system. According to the analysis, Murray plays worse on weekends where “Call of Duty” offers XP bonuses.

A statistical analysis of NFL Quarterback Kyler Murray's performance shows that he plays worse when there's active Double XP weekends happening in Call of Duty. There were rumors stating that they he played a lot of Call of Duty, even during the season. https://t.co/47sI8lwN8u pic.twitter.com/PcBMs33RcY

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) August 2, 2022

The implication is that Murray spends too much time playing “Call of Duty” those weekends and his play suffers because of it.

This sounds a lot like the time a Reddit user put together a statistical analysis arguing that James Harden plays worse in cities that are known for having a big strip club scene. Both theories are equal parts farfetched and insanely fun.

The clause in Murray’s contract stated that he had to put in four hours of independent study per week during the season. That language has since been removed after it became the biggest story of the offseason.