Kyler Murray makes "big deal" admission after Arizona Cardinals gesture

14 July 2023 , 19:11

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Kyler Murray is already happy with new head coach Jonathan Gannon

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is still yet to play under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, but already feels his support.

Murray tore his ACL in Week 14 last year and is expected to be out until the second half of the 2023 season. He's been grinding hard ever since to accelerate his recovery process but did take some time out to accept a prestigious award.

The quarterback attended The University of Oklahoma, who unveiled a statue in his honour, commemorating his Heisman Trophy win during his time there. But members of the Cardinals came with him, including Gannon and also general manager Monti Ossenfort.

Murray was touched by this gesture, especially as they're both new to the franchise. The quarterback is looking forward to repaying them when he's back on the field, and is eager to be "wiser" upon his return.

It was a big moment for Murray, as the quarterback is still yet to turn 26. But even though the event was solely about him he couldn't help but thank the Cardinals' entourage.

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"Just having them there, the support, they’ve only been in the building for maybe a month or so," Murray said to ArizonaSports.com. "For them to fly out to Norman in the middle of nowhere during the draft process to come see me and my statue get put up, that was a big deal."

Murray has been quiet about his rehabilitation process since the start of 2023, but finally let his feelings out in an episode of the Flight Plan podcast. "It's got to be a positive. There really is no option for it to be a negative," Murray said.

"I feel you get your little grace period right after it happens, dwell on it, soak in it, let the feelings take over. After that, we gotta go. Life doesn't stop. The job doesn't stop. And I'm not going to stop."

Murray is also looking forward to learning under new coaches and is eager to justify his five-year, $230.5 million contract extension. "I've got to respect the person or understand the ins and outs or the rhymes and reasons for what we are doing," Murray said.

"I'm going to listen. I'm going to be coachable and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, but if it ain't working, at some point, we all have to look in the mirror. As far as growing from my rookie year to now, learning how to be one with your emotions, understanding how to talk to people.

"Some people are able to take the harsh way, and I am naturally that way, or do I need to give them a little love and that's part of the quarterback position. And (learning) what can I do better, how can I be better, how can I make the guys around me better? It's a team sport. We all have to be locked in."

Joseph McBride