Arizona’s stud quarterback Kyler Murray will have to work for his $230 million. And slow down on the video games, apparently.
The five-year extension was announced last week, but the agreement is not as simple as it first seemed.
The Cardinals quarterback was pick one in the 2019 NFL Draft and has all the talent in the world. The franchise had no option but to write one of the largest cheques in the League’s history – which these days happens pretty much every time a top 15 quarterback is up for a new deal. But the mid-season performance dips the last two seasons, in spite of untimely injuries, leaves elements of doubt around Murray’s true ceiling as a signal caller.
Embed from Getty ImagesThere are murmurs around Kyler’s commitment to playing quarterback at the highest level. The talents he’s compared to – like Justin Herbert and Josh Allen, for example – live and breath football, with every waking moment. The Cards’ #1 has other interests. So this new revelation has done nothing to dismiss those theories.
It’s been revealed that there’s a clause in Murray’s contract, stating that he must commit to no less than four hours of independent study in weeks he plays. It’s understood that an NFL contract has never contained a provision quite like this.
And the wording really doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
Contracts are about give-and-take. One example from #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract: There is an addendum that requires 4 hours of “independent study” per game week. It was important to the team making a commitment at that level, thus it was important to Murray. pic.twitter.com/VqrkvoBQLJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022
“Player shall complete at least four (4) hours of Independent Study each week (excluding any bye week) during each Playing Season during the term of the Contract.”
Murray is not to ‘engage in any other activity that may distract his attention (for example, watching television, playing video games or browsing the internet).’
So..Kyler Murray can forfeit up to $100 million of guaranteed money if he doesn't do 4 hours of homework one week.
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) July 25, 2022
There will be lawyers..
He didn’t do himself any favours last year, admitting he doesn’t do much film study – an obvious necessity at the quarterback position, which is one of the most important and nuanced positions in world sport. If not the most.
In a 2021 interview with the New York Times, Kyler Murray said: "I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film."
— Sarah Kezele (@SarahKezele) July 25, 2022
2022 Kyler Murray is about to sit there and watch film: https://t.co/M2bPBhKHB8
This has no doubt become a bit of a public shaming episode for the fourth-year starter. And it’s not his fault the market for top-end quarterback talent is out of its mind.
But the reality is he won’t elevate the Cardinals to true Super Bowl contenders, or reach his full potential, without the work ethic synonymous with most of the other elite QBs.
His mobility on the field is mind-blowing. The arm talent is otherworldly. The tools are all there. Hopefully this is the watershed moment that allows him to put it all together for a full season. And then years into the future.
