Kyler Murray

Kyler Cole Murray (born August 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies and Oklahoma Sooners. He also played as an outfielder for the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team. He won the 2014 Gatorade Football Player of the Year award as a senior in high school. He started his college career at Texas A&M, only playing one season for the Aggies before transferring to Oklahoma. Due to NCAA transfer rules, he wasn't able to play for the 2016 season. During his 2017 college season, he served as a backup to starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.

In 2018, Murray was named the starting quarterback. Murray immediately made an impact, leading his conference in passing yards and touchdowns, as well as setting a Big 12 single-season passer rating record with a 199.2 passer rating. He was named AP College Football Player of the Year and was awarded the Heisman Trophy for his performance.

Following Mayfield, Murray was drafted first overall himself by the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after setting multiple Cardinals franchise rookie passing records. During his second season in 2020, he made the Pro Bowl. He was also drafted ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 2018 MLB draft, making him the first player ever to be drafted in the first rounds of both sports.

Football

Murray was born in Bedford, Texas, to Kevin Murray and Misun Henderson. He attended Allen High School in Allen, Texas. As a senior in 2014, he was the Gatorade Football Player of the Year. His team won three straight state championships and 43 games in a row. He missed one start during this streak and finished his career with a perfect 42–0 record as a starting quarterback.

Murray was ranked by ESPN, Scout.com, and 247Sports as a five-star recruit and the best dual-threat quarterback in his class. In May 2014, he committed to Texas A&M University to play college football and college baseball. He officially signed with them on February 4, 2015.

Statistics

Baseball

Murray also played baseball and was considered one of the top prospects for the 2015 Major League Baseball draft. In high school, Murray was a shortstop and a second baseman. He was the first player to ever be selected for both the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and Under Armour All-America Football Game.

Football

Texas A&M

As a true freshman in 2015, Murray competed with Kyle Allen before the season for the starting quarterback position. Allen won the job, with Murray appearing in games as a backup (primarily on plays involving the wildcat formation). After the team lost two straight games in October, the competition was opened again prior to the South Carolina game, and Murray won the starting quarterback position. In his first start, Murray threw for 223 yards and rushed for 156 yards with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown, making him and Cam Newton the only Southeastern Conference quarterbacks in the past 20 years to gain over 100 yards passing and rushing, including a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in their first career start. In his second start the next game against Auburn, Murray threw for 105 yards while throwing three interceptions, and rushing for 37 yards in the 26–10 loss. He rebounded from his previous game the next week against Western Carolina, throwing for 191 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, while rushing for 50 yards in the 41–17 blowout win. After the game, Allen was named the starting quarterback and Murray was sidelined for the rest of the season. On December 24, 2015, Murray announced that he was transferring to the University of Oklahoma. Per NCAA transfer rules, he had to miss the 2016 season.

Oklahoma

In the 2017 season, Murray was a backup quarterback to Baker Mayfield. He got the opportunity to play in some games in relief of Mayfield. He made his season debut in the season opener against UTEP. In the 56–7 victory, he came into the game in the second half and finished 10-of-11 for 149 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, against Tulane, he hit all three pass attempts for 103 yards and a touchdown. On November 25, against West Virginia, he started the game after Mayfield had to sit out some of the game due to disciplinary actions in the previous game against the Kansas Jayhawks. In the game, he hit both pass attempts for 52 total yards and a touchdown while contributing 80 rushing yards on three carries.

Without Mayfield, Oklahoma considered Murray and Austin Kendall to start at quarterback in 2018. Murray was chosen as the starting quarterback. He threw for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in the 2018 regular season, and rushed for over 1,000 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. In December 2018, Murray was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the best collegiate football player in the country, giving Oklahoma back-to-back Heisman winners. Murray helped lead Oklahoma to a Big 12 Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. In the 2018 Orange Bowl against Alabama, he had 308 passing yards and two passing touchdowns as the Sooners fell by a score of 45–34. Murray became only the third Heisman Trophy winner to not be awarded consensus All-American honors.

Statistics

Baseball

Murray opted out of the MLB draft after deciding to attend Texas A&M. He was initially set to play as an infielder for the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team in the 2016 season until he announced his departure from Texas A&M on December 17, 2015.

Murray played for the Oklahoma Sooners baseball team in 2017 as a left fielder. He had a .122 batting average and six runs batted in (RBIs) in 27 games. After the 2017 season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2018, playing as a centerfielder, Murray batted .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases.

Despite Murray's reported intention to continue his football career, the Oakland Athletics selected Murray with the ninth overall selection of the 2018 MLB draft. He signed a contract with the Athletics which included a $4.66 million signing bonus. Prior to his junior year with the football team, Murray said that he would report to spring training in 2019 to begin his professional baseball career. However, following his Heisman Trophy-winning 2018 season, he would forgo his senior year and enter the NFL Draft. The A's retain his rights, should he return to baseball.

In January 2019, Murray announced that he would enter the 2019 NFL Draft. On February 11, he announced his decision to focus on his football career, forgoing baseball.

Some believed that Murray's pursuit of a football career at the expense of a potential one in baseball was a mistake because of his limited stature relative to a typical NFL quarterback. At the NFL Combine, Murray was not expected to match his listed height of 5'10", because colleges often exaggerate measurements to make players more attractive to professional teams. Murray's final measurements were 5'10 1/8" and 207 pounds, similar to that of Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Russell Wilson. Despite not taking part in individual drills at the combine, many saw Murray's draft stock improve because of his greater-than-expected measurements. In contrast, NFL Network reporter Charley Casserly said that Murray had "the worst report I’ve ever heard on a top-ranked quarterback from the interview part of it", though Murray's agent disputed this report. Gil Brandt also questioned the veracity of Casserly's assertions. He was ranked as the best quarterback prospect available by multiple outlets and sports websites

Murray was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft, becoming the shortest quarterback drafted in the first round (Johnny Manziel was 5'11" 3/4"). When leading Texas Tech's football program, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that he would hypothetically spend the draft's top selection on Murray. The pick made Murray the first player to be drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts, the first time that two quarterbacks from the same university have gone in the first round in successive seasons after Baker Mayfield was selected first in the 2018 NFL Draft and the first quarterback under 6 feet selected number one in an NFL draft. On May 9, 2019, Murray signed his four year rookie contract, worth $35.2 million with the Cardinals

2019 season

Murray played his first NFL game on September 8, 2019 against the Detroit Lions, finishing with 308 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception as the game ended in a 27–all tie. Murray led the Cardinals to a comeback in the fourth quarter from a 16-point deficit, joining Jake Plummer as the only Cardinals rookie quarterbacks to throw for 300 yards and two touchdowns since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. During Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, Murray finished with 349 passing yards as the Cardinals lost 17–23. In Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, Murray threw for 241 yards and a pick-six and rushed four times for 27 yards and his first NFL rushing touchdown in the 27–10 loss. In the next game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Murray threw for 253 yards and rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown in the 26–23 victory. During Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons, Murray threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 32 yards in a narrow 34–33 victory. He was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. In Week 10, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had 324 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the 30–27 loss. In Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers, Murray threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown in the 36–26 loss. In Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks, Murray threw for 118 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 40 yards before exiting the game due to a hamstring injury. Without Murray, the Cardinals won the game 27–13. Before the regular season finale against the Los Angeles Rams, Murray was listed as a game time decision with a hamstring injury and ultimately played in the game despite being hurt.During the game, Murray threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions during the 31–24 loss. Afterwards, Cardinals' head coach Kliff Kingsbury said that "It's the most proud I've been of him all season."

Murray finished his rookie season with 3,722 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions to go along with 544 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 93 carries and was named a Pro Bowl Alternate. At the NFL Honors on February 1, Murray won the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for his performance during the season.

2020 season

In Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, Murray finished with 230 passing yards, one passing touchdown, an interception to go along with 91 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 24–20 win. In Week 2 against the Washington Football Team, Murray passed for 286 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception to go along with eight carries for 67 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 30–15 victory.During Week 5 against the New York Jets, Murray finished with 380 passing yards, 31 rushing yards, two total touchdowns, and one interception as the Cardinals won 30–10. On October 14, 2020, Murray was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 5.In Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, Murray completed 34 of 48 passes for 360 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception plus ran 14 times for 67 yards and scored a rushing touchdown as the Cardinals beat the previously undefeated Seahawks 37–34 in overtime. Murray was also named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 7. In Week 9, against the Miami Dolphins, he had 283 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, 106 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown in the 34–31 loss.

In Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, Murray passed for 245 yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception to go along with 11 carries for 61 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He helped the Cardinals mount a comeback win in the final seconds; down 26–30, the Cardinals drove down to the Buffalo 43-yard line with 11 seconds to go before Murray scrambled out of the pocket and connected with DeAndre Hopkins, who was surrounded by three Bills defenders, on a Hail Mary pass. The resulting touchdown, dubbed the "Hail Murray" by the media, allowed Arizona to win 32–30 and take the division lead in the NFC West.In Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Murray threw for 406 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception and rushed for 29 yards and another touchdown during the 33–26 win. He later earned the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for his performance.

2021 season

During Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, Murray finished with 400 passing yards, 31 rushing yards, two interceptions, and four total touchdowns as the Cardinals narrowly won 34–33 due to the Vikings missing a field goal with three seconds left in the fourth quarter. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 2 performance.

Cardinals franchise records

• Most games started by a rookie quarterback – 16
• Most pass completions by a rookie – 349
• Most pass attempts by a rookie – 542
• Highest completion percentage by a rookie (at least 2 completions) – 64.4%
• Most passing yards by a rookie – 3,722
• Most passing touchdowns by a rookie – 20
• Highest passer rating by a starting rookie – 87.4
• Most yards per game by a rookie – 232.6
• Most wins by a rookie quarterback – 5
• Most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback – 544
• Most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback – 4
• Most rushing yards per game by a rookie quarterback – 34.0
• Interception percentage in a career– 2.2

Murray is a Christian. Murray's father, Kevin Murray, was a quarterback at Texas A&M from 1983 to 1986. His uncle, University of Texas alumnus Calvin Murray, is a former professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and Chicago Cubs. Murray is a third-generation Korean American, with his maternal grandmother being a South Korean national.

His cousin, Devin Duvernay, is a University of Texas alumnus and is a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens.