LOOK: Bizarre social media activity begs questions about Kyler Murray's future
Shortly after the Arizona Cardinals were eliminated in the first round of the NFL Playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams, franchise quarterback Kyler Murray scrubbed all mentions of the Cardinals from his Instagram, leading to questions about his future with the organization.
Murray, 24, signed a four-year, $35 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, after the franchise took him off the board with the first-overall pick. 2022 is his last year under contract, and he is owed $965,000 in base salary, plus another $5,897,481 in signing bonus next season. However, after the 2022 season, the Cardinals have the option to pick up his fifth-year team option if the two sides are unable to reach a deal.
Murray appears to be pursuing a long-term, lucrative contract extension. Perhaps understandably, the star quarterback wants to do everything in his power to avoid Arizona picking up his team option, forcing him to spend another year on a rookie deal. As the two sides stall on contract negotiations, he removed all mentions of the Cardinals, as well as any Cardinals photos from his Instagram.
Murray has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 11,480 yards and 70 touchdowns in three seasons with the Cardinals, throwing 34 interceptions. Moreover, a dual-threat quarterback, Murray has rushed for 1,786 yards and 20 touchdowns, making him just one of two players in NFL history with 10,000 passing yards and 1,500 rushing yards in his first three seasons.
Murray scrubbed his Instagram clean within hours of playing in the Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium, where he had game-highs among all six NFC and AFC quarterbacks to appear in the game. Murray threw for 160 yards, completing 18-of-27 passing attempts, for three passing touchdowns in his second Pro Bowl appearance.
He finished the 2021 regular season with a 69.2 percent completion rate, throwing for 3,787 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Meanwhile, Murray ran for 423 yards and five touchdowns. He helped the Cardinals start the 2021 season on an incredibly high note, as Arizona went 7-0 in its first seven games before falling to the Packers in Week 8, but things went awry from there — Murray and the Cardinals lost five of their last seven regular-season games, placing them in an NFC Wild Card matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams pass rush proved to be too much for Murray, though the entire Cardinals team — from the quarterback position, to the run game and the defense — was abysmal in a 34-11 loss to the Rams. Murray completed 19-of-34 passing attempts for 137 passing yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, while being sacked twice. He rushed for just six yards on two attempts.