Getty Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray's futures are linked.
Kyler Murray’s future with the Arizona Cardinals has become a riddle wrapped in an enigma ever since the quarterback scrubbed his social media accounts of any reference to the team.
The key to the mystery could be the status of head coach Kliff Kingsbury, who is facing an uncertain future entering the final year of his contract. That uncertainty could be impacting Murray’s decision and any dis-satisfaction he’s feeling with the franchise, according to one senior NFL writer.
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Kingsbury Future Could Impact Murray
Appearing on an episode of The Rich Eisen Show ahead of Super Bowl LVI, MMQB writer Albert Breer discussed the ongoing situation involving Murray and the Cardinals. Breer touched on a number of topics, but his main emphasis was a theory Murray’s future could hinge on what happens with Kingsbury.
Breer began by revealing that the disappointing end to the Cardinals’ 2021 season “left a mark there.” The Cards finished 10-7 after a 7-0 start then lost 34-11 to NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams, one of the participants in this year’s Super Bowl, in the Wildcard playoffs.
According to Breer, “things were very uncomfortable in that building that week” after the defeat to the Rams. The Cardinals “abruptly” cancelled a personnel meeting the day after the game, and Breer noted how members of the organization were in the dark about Kingsbury’s future:
Toward the end of the video, Breer also said he thinks “it’s tough to pay Kyler” if Kingsbury is not going to still be coaching the Cardinals in 2023. That’s a possibility since Kingsbury’s contract still hasn’t been renewed beyond this year.
Murray and Kingsbury Forever Linked
It’s no secret the fates of Murray and Kingsbury with the Cardinals are inextricably linked. It can’t be any other way when the coach admitted last November he’d “rather have a tie to his (game) than about 99% of the quarterbacks in the NFL,” per Donnie Druin of All Cardinals.
Druin noted how Murray and Kingsbury go as far back as when the latter tried to recruit the quarterback for Texas Tech. Murray choses Texas A&M instead, but Kingsbury remained keen enough to make the player the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft when he took the job in Arizona.
Success has been sporadic since, with Kingsbury overseeing records of 5-10-1 and 8-8 during Murray’s first two seasons before the recent playoff berth. A habit of collapsing late in seasons has raised questions about Kingsbury’s ability to truly be a success with the Cardinals.
Fan Nation’s Cole Thompson highlighted the coach’s dire record in games of significance:
Why it might be ok to fire Kliff Kingsbury after #NFLPlayoffs
In Nov-Jan games, he is 9-16 as a head coach.
2019 – 2-5
2020 – 3-6
2021 – 4-5
And these are the games that truly matter.
Meanwhile, Fansided reporter Matt Verderame questioned Kingsbury’s track record, despite having had obvious talent at his disposal:
Murray, though, has remained a steadfast supporter of his coach. He quickly poured cold water on rumors Kingsbury might join the University of Oklahoma back in December, per Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic: “I know Kliff. I don’t really buy into it. If I’m him, I think he’s got a pretty good job right now.”
McManaman also carried this telling quote from Kingsbury about his and Murray’s dependance on one another: “We’re in this thing together. We signed up together and as much as any duo probably in the history of the NFL the way this thing has played out, we know we’re tied to each other forever and we just want to make this thing work.”
Making things work looks like it’s gotten harder after Murray’s recent activity on social media ramped up speculation about this Cardinals regime and the direction of the rebuilding efforts:
Arizona QB Kyler Murray has unfollowed the team & removed all Cardinals-related content from his Instagram.
The only recent content was a picture of himself at the Pro Bowl and a story re-share of a Mike Evans post that said “always wanted to catch a pass from the Texas legend.”
Like his coach, Murray has one year left on his existing contract. The key difference is the Cardinals can opt to exercise Murray’s fifth-year option from his rookie deal.
It’s not a decision the 24-year-old is likely to welcome if the coach who knows him best is no longer around. As Breer pointed out, Murray’s next move will surely hinge on what happens to Kingsbury.
Both need to win big in 2022, a task that won’t be helped if this much uncertainty about their futures is allowed to fester.
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MMQB Writer Thinks Kliff Kingsbury Uncertainty Impacts Kyler Murray’s Future