Kyler Murray admits defeat as former high draft choose prepares to be launched by the Arizona Cardinals
Heisman winner and former first-overall NFL Draft pick Kyler Murray has apologized to Arizona Cardinals fans for his inability to succeed with the team as he prepares for his release next week.
‘I am sorry I failed us,’ he wrote online.
Apparently unable to trade Murray, the Cardinals have informed the one-time franchise quarterback they intend to release him, according to multiple reports. He is scheduled to be cut on March 11, when the league calendar officially moves into 2026.
Murray is still due $36.8 million this season, nearly all of which will be paid by the Cardinals. By waving Murray before March 15, the Cardinals do avoid paying the quarterback another $19.5 million.
Now, another team can pick him up for the veteran’s minimum, allowing Murray to find the perfect fit for himself without immediate financial considerations.
But finding a new home may not be so easy for the 28-year-old.
Kyler Murray has battled inconsistency and injury problems in two of the last three seasons
Free-agent quarterback Kyler Murray reached out to his fans following his release in Arizona
A foot injury limited Murray to just five games last season, of which, the Cardinals won only two. The team had ‘grown frustrated’ with Murray, who has faced questions about his work ethic and quiet personality in Arizona, according to Fox Sports. And as one league source told Fox Sports, Murray’s once-celebrated mobility is ‘now shot.’
Potential destinations for Murray include the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets or even the Miami Dolphins, who are expected to move on from Tua Tagovailoa.
A former baseball prospect who was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, Murray returned to Oklahoma that fall where he ultimately earned Heisman Trophy honors. The following spring, Murray would be taken first overall by the Cardinals in the first round of the NFL Draft.
But although he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 and was later given a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension, Murray struggled under head coach Jonathan Gannon while battling injuries in 2023 and 2025.
Now, with Gannon fired and incoming head coach Mike LaFleur remaking the roster, the 5ft10in signal caller is among the first out the door in Arizona.
NFL athletes (L-R) Kyler Murray, Odell Beckham Jr. and Marquise Brown attend Game Four of the 2023 Western Conference Semis between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets
Murray bid his fans in Arizona farewell in a social media post on Tuesday.
‘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,’ he wrote on X.
The reflective Murray did not pull any punches.
‘I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77 year drought for this organization, I am sorry I failed us,’ he added. ‘I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best.’
‘I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever’s next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it.
‘Godspeed.’
