The Arizona Cardinals, with only four wins in the 2023 season and just one week left, are undoubtedly a franchise going through changes.
As an unsure future awaits the Cards in the offseason, first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon did his best to nip one storyline in the bud by putting his full support behind Kyler Murray as the franchise’s quarterback of the future.
Asked Tuesday during his weekly Burns & Gambo appearance if there was any doubt Murray was his starting QB going forward, Gannon actually choked at the notion Murray would not be.
Gannon, laughing, said confidently, “No, there’s absolutely no doubt. I really love this guy.”
He echoed the sentiment with more laughter.
“No, there’s absolutely no uncertainty,” Gannon stated, his laughter still lingering. When questioned about who he loves, he confirmed, “‘No. 1’, our franchise quarterback, that’s who I love.”
The 4-12 Cardinals are currently slotted for the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which is prognosticated to be quarterback-rich.
It’s conceivable that a rebuilding franchise would opt for a new quarterback, given that Gannon and Monti Ossenfort are concluding their inaugural seasons in Arizona.
The 26-year-old Murray is coming off an ACL tear that ended his 2022 campaign and delayed the start of his 2023 season. He’s under contract through 2028, having agreed to a blockbuster extension in July of last year. When healthy, Murray has been dynamic on the field, having gone to two Pro Bowls and built a reputation as one of the league’s finest dual-threat QBs. However, the Cardinals have had just one winning season, one playoff appearance, and no postseason wins in his four-plus seasons.
Despite this, after coaching Murray for seven games this season, Gannon is convinced.
“The coach said, “You know I’m now a Kyler guy.”
Murray had just started rehabilitating his knee injury when Gannon took charge this past offseason.
It wasn’t until Week 10 that Murray made his debut, which was a 25-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
As a starter, Murray has a record of 3-4, with 12 touchdowns in total (nine from passing, three from rushing), and averages 219 yards per game.
“After spending a year here with him, I feel more convinced than when I first arrived,” said Gannon.
Gannon’s endorsement is also coming on the heels of Murray’s best performance this season, as he quarterbacked the Cardinals to a 35-31 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles. Murray tallied 232 passing yards and a season-high three TD passes.
“Gannon expressed confidence in Murray’s performance, stating that he always expected him to play well, and he did. Gannon emphasized that there was no question that Murray played a significant role in their victory. He praised Murray for his exceptional performance, comparing him to a bright light in the game. Gannon asserted that when Murray held the ball, the team knew they had a chance of winning, and that’s exactly what happened,” he said.
