11 November 2023 , 17:42
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is set to make his long-awaited return to the field following his injury lay-off.
The Cardinals star has not played an NFL game since December 12 last season against the New England Patriots. Murray sustained an ACL injury in his right knee which left him requiring surgery and has left him on the sidelines ever since.
After undergoing surgery on January 4 he has gradually been building up his recovery to return to the field and was activated earlier this week ahead of the Cardinals game against the Atlanta Falcons. The 26-year-old was the first overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft and was tipped to be the future of the franchise.
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Since Murray’s injury, the Cardinals' form has been 1-12 which has led to the likelihood of a top draft pick in 2024. But Murray, who signed a huge contract ahead of the 2022 season, will hope to prove any high pick does not need to be used on a new quarterback.
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Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Friday that Murray will be the starter in Week 10. It will be the first time that Murray will have played in the NFL for 11 months.
"Honestly, I'm excited for the guy," Gannon told reporters on Friday. "I've seen what he's had to go through the last eight months or so, however long I've been here, and what he's put into it and how bad he wants to be out there and the competitor that he is.
"He wants to be out there with the guys and help his team win. So that's what I'm most excited to see."
The Cardinals currently stand at 1-8 for the season at the halfway point of the season. Last week saw Arizona fail to score a single point in a 27-0 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
This season has seen two quarterbacks used by the Cardinals in the absence of Murray. Joshua Dobbs began the year as a starter but was acquired by the Minnesota Vikings before the trade deadline.
Clayton Tune had stepped in for the loss to Cleveland following the exit of Dobbs. With Murray set to return to the field this Sunday, Gannon has explained why the whole roster will be uplifted seeing their teammate back playing.
"I think that's what they're excited about," Gannon said. "They're excited about to get the guy in the huddle too, you know what I mean? They like the guy. We all love the guy, so that's probably why they're smiling a little bit."
With Murray set to play his first game in the NFL for nearly a whole year, the remaining games of the season are likely to prove critical to his future with the franchise. Prior to his return, there have been rumors that the Cardinals could take advantage of potentially having the No.1 overall pick in 2024 to draft Caleb Williams.
The USC quarterback is widely tipped to be the first overall selection in next year’s draft, provided he decides to enter the NFL. Should Arizona get the No.1 pick, then decisions will have to be made around Murray’s future, and how he performs following his return is likely to be a factor.