Arizona Cardinals: 3 Reasons Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury can change NFL
By Steve Rivera
With Kyler Murray and new head coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Arizona Cardinals may be on the verge of changing how rookie quarterbacks can play in the NFL.
The Arizona Cardinals weren’t terribly conflicted with the decision between drafting Kyler Murray or keeping Josh Rosen. That dye was cast when the organization decided to shutter the Steve Wilks era one year in. Enter Kliff Kingsbury and a new future was dawning.
Kingsbury is a 50-50 bet. For those who point to his record at Texas Tech, it can be a reasonable wager he’ll fizzle fast in the desert. For those who like innovation in a league severely bent toward offense, it’s a bet you’ll take, banking that he’ll wildly succeed with this opportunity.
The centerpiece in all this conversation and where the real wagering should take place is on Murray. The Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma promises big returns, but trophies and hype don’t always translate to success in the NFL. But in Arizona, that’s okay. The Cardinals have flatlined and any spark will be well received.
Murray and Kingsbury may be different. They almost seem on a collision course for something special to happen. Arizona, meanwhile, has been mired in mediocrity. Rosen, who many saw as an absolute steal and smart pick in 2018, was jettisoned for the promise of a rookie who still may be a better baseball player than quarterback.
Adding to the storyline is a new head coach also hired because of that same promise. The promise he’ll be the Cardinals version of Sean McVay, the guy who didn’t just turn it around for the Los Angeles Rams but had his team in the Super Bowl in year two of his tenure.
If Murray and Kingsbury click, it could be huge. Not just in the NFC West, but in the NFL as a whole. Murray will be must-watch TV come Week 1. He’ll dominate the conversation. If the rookie head coach gets it right, the Cardinals could be the most exciting and transcendent team in football and change the NFL. Here’s why.