The Arizona Cardinals made Kyler Murray the second highest-paid QB in NFL history on July 21. The $230.5 million, 5-year contract extension puts Murray second to Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers in annual salary at $46.1 million per year. Despite Arizona’s sizable investment in Murray and their future, the Cardinals don’t think much of Murray’s professionalism or maturity.
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
The addendum the Cardinals included with Murray’s contract displays how little they think of his maturity or professionalism.
Addendum Breakdown
To summarize the addendum into a few bullet points:
- Murray will be required to complete four (4) hours of Independent Study each week during the season
- “Independent Study” means materials provided to him by the club to prepare for the Cardinals’ next upcoming game, including any material provided via Ipad or another electronic device.
- Times spent in meetings do not qualify as independent study. This is study to be done on his own outside of the team setting.
- The team laid out very specific terms on what counts as independent study. If Murray is watching videos or playing games or watching television while material is on Ipad, that does not count as Independent Study.
- If Murray breaches the addendum at any time during the term of the contract, he is in Default.
Basically, the Cardinals want Kyler Murray to engage in a minimum of four hours a week of film study of their opponents. Film study is a basic for every single NFL player. It is how you find tendencies in opponents and how you become familiar with their habits on the field. Learning to study film and break down film is a basic part of being a professional football player. Studying film on your own and learning on your own is part of being a professional. Many high school and college football players study game film and become students of the game. It is how you strengthen your mental game and learn off the field.
Cardinals’ Message To Kyler Murray
The fact that Arizona thinks they need to place a requirement he spend a minimum of four hours a week studying film is astonishing. Arizona is basically saying they don’t think Kyler Murray is a professional who takes his job as starting QB for an NFL franchise seriously.
Furthermore, Arizona is saying they don’t trust Murray to study film on his own. The Cardinals think Murray is immature. If left to his own devices, Murray would surf the internet, watch television, or play video games when he’s supposed to be watching film. Arizona thinks Murray lacks the professionalism to do his job and is too immature to trust to do the minimum work required to be an NFL quarterback.
The Cardinals are tacitly implying Kyler Murray doesn’t watch film and tries to wing it on Sundays, freelancing his way down the field and through the game plan. Arizona is also telling their fans they just paid $230.5 million to a QB they can’t trust to follow the game plan or listen to coaching.
Kyler Murray Is Your Franchise Quarterback?
The Cardinals are basing their franchise on a QB who scrubbed all of his social media accounts in a tantrum following their 34-11 loss to the Rams in the 2021 Playoffs. Murray felt he was unfairly blamed for the loss. After three years in the NFL, Murray still hasn’t learned that credit for wins and blame for losses is a small part of being the starting quarterback.
The Cardinals want to make an immature, unprofessional 24 year old the face of their franchise. Despite a $230.5 million contract extension, this addendum shows they don’t even trust Murray to be the franchise. Arizona can’t trust Murray to do a mere four hours a week of film study. Arizona had to require in Murray’s contract that he actually prep on his own for games. The Cardinals can’t trust Murray to be honest about doing film study. Arizona’s brass had to specify what film study is and what doesn’t qualify as film study in his contract. If you know a QB lacks professionalism and maturity, why are you making him the face of your franchise?
Kyler Murray is the franchise QB in Arizona. Until he is next tantrum after a perceived slight because Murray isn’t a professional who can’t handle being an NFL starter
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