There may not have been a more widely-polarizing figure in the modern history of the Arizona Cardinals than Kyler Murray. As beloved as he was by supporters, so too rang the thunderous criticism. And as controversially as he arrived, he departed.
On Tuesday, the news broke: the Cardinals informed Murray that they intended to release him, ending a seven-year tenure in the desert — one that began with the very first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The news does not come as a surprise. The writing had been on the wall ever since Murray was replaced by backup QB Jacoby Brissett for the duration of the 2025 season.
Talks of potential trades quickly dwindled under the shadow of his $50-plus million in guaranteed salary over the next two seasons. No team was interested enough in that commitment, knowing the Cardinals were intent on parting ways with their franchise QB.
Cardinals Release Kyler Murray
Murray will end his time in the desert with a 38-48-1 record (the tie coming in his first-ever NFL start). His 20,460 passing yards and 121 passing touchdowns are both third-most in franchise history — not just since coming to the desert. His 92.2 career passer rating (as flawed a stat as it may be) and 67.1% completion rate are both the best of any Cardinals QB to start a full season in the Super Bowl era.
Granted, the quarterback position is not Arizona’s most prestigious. Many Cardinals fans were not yet alive to witness Jim Hart or Neil Lomax tear up the 80’s — the latter of whom ushered in the team’s first season in the desert. But most know of Jake Plummer, the only other home-grown franchise QB since the Cardinals came to Arizona. Murray has surpassed Plummer in all categories barring playoff wins (0), of which Plummer has two.
Love or hate Murray, his talent was never in question. Electricity flows through his highlight-reel plays and off-script improvisations. Murray brought Arizona some of its highest highs of the last decade.
But it was ultimately not a fit. Murray was only able to start a full season three times in seven years. His physical limitations (though often severely overblown by narrative-creators) did, at times, play a role.
The Cardinals’ offense under former offensive coordinator Drew Petzing did not fit the skillset of an undersized improviser quarterback. Petzing, along with Arizona’s front office, thought Brissett would unlock their scheme more beneficially. Perhaps they were right to a degree, though a 1-11 record from Brissett is nothing of a ringing endorsement in that decision.
But one thing did feel certain about Murray, despite what many may have said, written or posted: he wanted to win; he wanted to embrace the valley; and he cared about football — perhaps above all else. Despite so often becoming the the brunt of jests about video games, baseball and study clauses, Murray matured as a person. The 28-year-old easily could have made this divorce that much messier, but allowed the decisions made by those in charge to do the talking.
“To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Murray wrote in a goodbye post on X/Twitter. “I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.”
Some fans will rejoice in the departure; some will mourn the loss of the franchise quarterback they grew up watching. The most accurate evaluation is likely somewhere in between.
And thus, Arizona re-enters an all-too-familiar domain: quarterback purgatory.
What’s Next for Cardinals After Murray Release?
2026’s quarterback options do not offer much solace. A handful of re-tread veterans, some less-than-thrilling rookie prospects, and an unproven gem in the free agent mines offer at least a shred of wonder as to whether retaining Murray might have ultimately proved more beneficial.
The gem, of course, is former Packers QB Malik Willis. Willis has made just six starts in his NFL career. He’s thrown just 155 total passes in a regular-season NFL game. And yet, he’s the hottest name on the market. Rumors of deals up to and surpassing $30 million per year swirl following a successful tenure in Green Bay — alongside Matt LaFleur, the brother of Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett, Arizona’s new offensive coordinator
On one hand, Willis might be the splash investment Arizona needs. On the other, he could easily become another expensive mistake.
But the cheaper options aren’t much more appealing. Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Geno Smith headline the veteran free agent class with abysmal recent numbers. They’re mostly removed from any star-like numbers at this point, but they certainly wouldn’t be considered risky acquisitions. A veteran game-manager might be what GM Monti Ossenfort would prefer over Murray, but they’re not a long-term solution for LaFleur’s offense, and could easily sink to disastrous levels.
And the 2026 Draft does not boast the robust quarterback class of previous seasons. After the foregone Fernando Mendoza conclusion at No. 1 overall, the options quickly devolve into raw, developmental players more worthy of day two and three selections. Former Alabama QB Ty Simpson might have the most buzz, but he’s almost certainly not worth Arizona’s No. 3 overall pick — at least, not as a prospect.
Garoppolo and Willis have been the two most frequently connected to the Cardinals in this news cycle, and seem to be the front runners. Free agency officially begins on Wednesday, March 11.
Of course, Brissett remains under contract. He threw for 3,336 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions over 12 starts in 2025. But it was not winning football. Brissett may have been a better volume-producing fit for Petzing, but that may not be the case with LaFleur. At his peak, Brissett is an exceptional backup with the ability to make positive spot-starts. That isn’t the future, either.
Ossenfort has his work cut out for him. He’ll have to navigate one of the rockiest QB landscapes in recent history well enough to set up a rookie head coach for success in year one. While it’s unlikely Murray was the way to do that, the Cardinals certainly face an uphill battle this season.
What else is new?
