The most expensive divorce in Arizona Cardinals history is official. The team informed quarterback Kyler Murray during the week of March 3 that he will be released on March 11, the first day of the 2026 NFL league year, ending a seven-season partnership that never delivered the franchise its first playoff victory since 2009. Murray, 28, confirmed the news himself with an emotional post on social media. "To everyone that supported me and showed kindness to my family and I during my time in AZ, from the bottom of my heart, thank you," he wrote. "I wanted nothing more than to be the one to end the 77-year drought for this organization. I am sorry I failed us. I wish this community and my brothers nothing but the best. I am no stranger to adversity, I am prepared for whatever's next. I trust in God and my work ethic. I truly believe my best ball is in front of me and I look forward to proving it."
The financial reality of this decision is staggering. Murray is owed $36.8 million in guaranteed money for the 2026 season, which Arizona will still be required to pay regardless of where he plays. On top of that, the Cardinals will absorb approximately $54.7 million in dead cap money over the course of this year — a significant penalty that speaks volumes about how urgently the franchise wanted to close this chapter. If they had kept Murray on the roster through March 15, an additional $19.5 million in guarantees for the 2027 season would have been triggered, making the cost of keeping him even higher than cutting him loose. The math was clear, and so was the decision.
Murray arrived in Arizona with enormous expectations after winning the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma and being selected first overall by the Cardinals in 2019, the same year he had given up a professional baseball career — he was drafted by the Oakland A's — to pursue football. His early career justified the excitement. He won AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2020 and 2021), and led one of the most thrilling drives in recent NFL memory in November 2020: the "Hail Murray," in which he scrambled to his right and launched a bomb to DeAndre Hopkins for a stunning game-winning touchdown on the final play against the Buffalo Bills. In 2021, he guided Arizona to a 10-2 record and the team's first playoff berth in six years.
But injuries derailed everything. After tearing his ACL in December 2022, Murray missed significant time in three of his final four seasons in Arizona. He played in just five games last season before suffering a foot injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, and backup Jacoby Brissett performed well enough in his absence to create an uncomfortable controversy. The Cardinals finished 3-14, fired coach Jonathan Gannon, and now enter a rebuilding phase — likely centered around a high draft pick — without their franchise quarterback.
What comes next for Murray may actually be quite attractive. Since Arizona is covering his guaranteed money, his new team will only owe him the veteran minimum — making him one of the most cost-effective quarterbacks to ever hit the open market with his level of talent. Early reports indicate that Murray has two preferred destinations: the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota, where head coach Kevin O'Connell worked wonders with Sam Darnold last season, has Justin Jefferson and an infrastructure built around a dynamic quarterback. Indianapolis, which placed the franchise tag on defensive lineman Daniel Jones while keeping its options open at quarterback, offers a young roster with strong weapons. Wherever Murray lands, he will carry the burden of proving that his best football — as he declared on social media — truly is still ahead of him.