Star quarterback Kyler Murray has agreed to a contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals, according to Thursday tweet from the football team.
THIS IS𝙏𝙃𝙀 KYLER MURRAY EXTENSION TWEET! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/ljfAl8BTRx
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) July 21, 2022
The five-year extension for Murray is worth $230.5 million dollars, with $160 million in guaranteed money for him, ESPN reported. The quarterback’s average value will be $46.1 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid in the league, according to the outlet.
The Cardinals are choosing to make Murray the face of their offense for years to come with that reportedly big-number agreement. The two-time Pro Bowler comes fresh off his first NFL playoff appearance since being drafted into the league in 2019, according to Pro Football Reference. His team struggled mightily and were beaten by the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams, by 34-11.
In the playoff loss to the Rams, Murray played really poorly. He only threw the football for 137 yards total and had two costly interceptions in the Cardinals’ quick first round exit from the playoffs, according to Pro Football Reference. Murray’s contract extension puts the expectations of Arizona having post-season success and even aspirations to win the Super Bowl for the first time in the franchise’s history onto the quarterback’s shoulders.
Despite accomplishing little in the playoffs so far in his young career, Murray put up big statistical numbers during the regular season for the Cardinals. During the 2021 season, he threw the football for 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, with 3,787 yards passing in total, according to Pro Football Reference.
Murray is a big headache for opposing defenses. His speed and arm strength sets him apart from others at his position and helps the Cardinals win. (RELATED: ESPN Honors Athlete Who Renounced US Citizenship To Compete For China In Olympics)
It should be exciting to see if the versatile Murray can translate the Cardinals’ winning ways during the regular season into post-season success in the future.