TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals have notified two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray that they plan to release him on March 11 when the new league year begins, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move cannot be officially announced until next week.
Murray, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft ($36.8 million guaranteed in 2026), is free to sign with any team if he is released.
The 28-year-old posted a farewell message to Arizona fans on social media, expressing regret that he did not have more success with the franchise. He has led the team to the playoffs only once during his seven-year tenure, a wild-card loss in 2021.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me and showed kindness to my family and me during my time in AZ,” Murray said. “I wanted to be the one to end this organization’s 77-year drought. I’m sorry I failed. I wish the best for this community and my brothers.”
He continued, “I’m no stranger to adversity. I’m ready for whatever comes next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best work is ahead of me and I look forward to proving it. Oh my gosh.”
Murray suffered a foot injury against the Tennessee Titans after appearing in just five games last season, throwing for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. The Cardinals initially thought Murray would only miss a few weeks, but backup Jacoby Brissett played well in his absence, sparking some quarterback controversy.
Murray was eventually placed on injured reserve and missed the rest of the season. The Cardinals finished with a 3-14 record and fired coach Jonathan Gannon.
Murray arrived in Arizona with high expectations after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma in 2019, and at times they paid off.
He won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and provided several thrilling highlights, such as the so-called “Hail Murray” in 2020 when he connected with DeAndre Hopkins for the game-winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills on the final play of the game.
The high point of his Cardinals tenure came in 2021, with the team jumping to a 10-2 record through early December. But Arizona’s performance faltered, losing four of their last five games before losing 34-11 to the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round.
The Cardinals signed Murray to a five-year contract worth $230.5 million in 2022 with $160 million guaranteed, but the honeymoon after that commitment was short-lived. A few weeks after signing the contract, the franchise removed an odd clause from his contract mandating four hours of “independent study” during game week.
The uproar called Murray’s work ethic into question and his relationship with the franchise was never the same.
Murray tore his ACL against the New England Patriots in 2022, causing him to miss the rest of the season and a large portion of the 2023 schedule. Coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired after the 2022 season and Gannon was hired to replace him.
The Gannon-Murray relationship showed some promise in 2024, when the Cardinals improved to 8-9 and were in the playoff hunt heading into the final few weeks of the season.
But 2025 was quickly falling apart, bringing Murray’s time in the desert to a quick end.
