The Arizona Cardinals told former top overall selection Kyler Murray that they intend to cut him at the start of the new league year on March 11, a source close to the matter said the Associated Press.
The quarterback, slated to receive $36.8 million in guaranteed salary in 2026, will become free to join another club after his release.
The 28‑year‑old shared a goodbye note with Arizona supporters on social media, lamenting his inability to guide the franchise to its first Super Bowl title. He led the team to the postseason only once in his seven‑year spell—a wildcard defeat in the 2021 campaign.
“To everyone who backed me and extended kindness to my family and me while I was in AZ, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Murray wrote. “All I ever wanted was to break the 77‑year drought for this club; I’m sorry I let you down. I wish this community and my teammates all the best.”
He added: “Adversity is familiar to me, and I’m ready for whatever comes next. I rely on my faith and my work ethic. I firmly believe my best football lies ahead, and I’m eager to demonstrate it. Godspeed.”
Murray appeared in only five contests last season—accumulating 962 passing yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions—before a foot injury against the Tennessee Titans sidelined him. The Cardinals first expected a short absence, but backup Jacoby Brissett performed admirably, sparking a quarterback debate. Murray was later moved to injured reserve and missed the remainder of the year. Arizona ended the campaign 3‑14 and dismissed head coach Jonathan Gannon.
Murray came to Arizona in 2019 amid lofty expectations after capturing the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, and he occasionally lived up to them.
He earned AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and earned two Pro Bowl selections, producing several memorable moments, including the 2020 “Hail Murray” when he linked with DeAndre Hopkins for a game‑winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on the final play.
The high point of his Cardinals stint arrived in 2021, as the team surged to a 10‑2 record by early December. Yet Arizona faltered late, dropping four of their last five games and then falling 34‑11 to the Los Angeles Rams in the wildcard round.
Arizona secured Murray on a five‑year, $230.5 million contract in 2022, including $160 million guaranteed, but the optimism was brief. Weeks after the signing, the team eliminated an unusual provision that required four hours of “independent study” on game weeks. The incident raised doubts about Murray’s work ethic, and his rapport with the organization never fully recovered.
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