Former Oklahoma star Kyler Murray just got paid
The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner and former Oklahoma Sooners signal-caller Kyler Murray has just signed a record-setting deal. He
The former Oklahoma star was extended for 5 years for $230.5 million, with $160 million of that guaranteed by Arizona. The average annual salary is $46.1 million, coming in just in front of Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson. This is the second largest contract in NFL history behind only Aaron Rodgers’ $50.2 million/year deal.
Kyler has helped the Arizona Cardinals get back on track after having several tough seasons. The Cardinals had not had a winning season in three years before he was drafted number one overall in the 2019 NFL draft. The team has improved each year with Murray as a signal caller, and the former Sooner star led them to the playoff and to an 11-win season just last season.
Murray was having an MVP-caliber season before he missed a couple of weeks with an injury. Kyler is one of the most talented and unique QBs in the NFL, as was noted by former Cardinal and soon-to-be first-ballot Hall of Fame WR Larry Fitzgerald:
"“There’s nobody in the game as talented as, as diverse an array of abilities…his ability to throw the ball going left or right, He’s immensely talented. He’s a guy that everybody around the league has to prepare differently for.”"
Kyler has improved every season as a pro and certainly will have plenty of pressure to perform this upcoming season with expectations after such an enormous contract. One of his best friends and former Sooner running mate Marquise Brown has joined the fray alongside Rondale Moore and of course Deandre Hopkins. So Kyler will have ample targets to get the ball to in order to fulfill his end of the bargain.
Murray was drafted in the top 10 of the MLB draft as well and faced a ton of criticism for choosing to play in the NFL and to take a perceived pay cut as it appeared Murray was destined to play in the show at some point. Comments such as these were heard over and over again and you know Kyler had to have seen these sentiments and must be sitting back laughing today.
I think Kyler Murray made a huge mistake. You get the money up front and don’t have to fight through so many levels of the minors, but the odds are stacked against him in the NFL as a result of his physical stature. I’m probably wrong, but he should have stuck with baseball.
— Zain49ers (@zain49ers) February 11, 2019
Cardinals fans should enjoy amazing plays such as these for many years to come!
KYLER MURRAY 77 YARD TOUCHDOWN 🔥 (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/XF5raJOyFd
— Overtime (@overtime) September 19, 2021