Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Kyler Murray Ready for First Game After Injury
Kyler Murray is expected to start as quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in their game against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend. This comes after recovering from a serious knee injury that ended his season last December. Murray suffered a noncontact knee injury against the New England Patriots and underwent reconstructive surgery in January.
The Cardinals, with a 1-8 record, are set to host the Falcons, who are at 4-5. Despite Murray’s return, the Cardinals are the +1.5 home underdog against the Falcons. The Falcons have a 2-7 record against the point spread this season, making them one of the worst betting teams in the NFL.
Murray, speaking at a press conference, shared his feelings about returning to the field, saying, “I’m kind of emotionless. Not trying to get too high, get too low. It’s been a long, long 10 months.” He takes over as starting quarterback amidst a six-game losing streak for the Cardinals.
In the off-season, the Cardinals made changes by replacing head coach Kliff Kingsbury with Jonathan Gannon and bringing in Monti Ossenfort as their new general manager. The team also underwent a quarterback shuffle, cutting Colt McCoy and acquiring Josh Dobbs, who was later traded to the Minnesota Vikings, leaving rookie Clayton Tune as the starting quarterback.
Without Murray, the Cardinals have struggled offensively, ranking fifth-lowest in scoring and second-worst in passing yards. Murray, who signed a lucrative contract extension before the 2022 season, is eager to justify his salary as he returns to the lineup.
Murray’s return comes under the leadership of Gannon, whom he shares a mutual respect with. The coach urged caution, telling reporters, “We got to be willing to understand that it might not look like Kyler, and he’s got a good expectation of that.”
Murray had a successful career with the Cardinals before his injury, consistently passing for over 3,700 yards and 20 touchdowns each season. He was selected as the #1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and chose to play for the NFL over pursuing a career in baseball with the Oakland A’s.
