Cardinals QB Kyler Murray heavily optimistic heading into 2024 NFL season: ‘My goal is to be the best’

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) takes a photo with fans during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 28, 2024.

After suffering a major ACL injury which caused him to miss 11 months, Murray returned towards the tail end of 2023 and is taking full advantage of the camp since he missed it a year ago.

When asked after Day 5 of training camp about the thoughts and emotions that he has going into this season, the Texas native is ready to go now that he is back to full health.

“It feels like a completely new situation,” Murray said. “It’s obviously a new year. Last year was such a whirlwind for me as far as it was for being hurt, rehabbing the whole year and coming back in the season which I have never done before. As for the play goes, having to get better each and every week again and getting back in the groove of things. For me, it [return to training camp] means something. I think this year to start off fresh, it is a big difference.”

Going through the strenous processes of reconstructive knee surgery and rehab, Murray rounded out the 2023 campaign by completing 176-of-268 (65.7%) passes for 1,799 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Cardinals were 3-5 with him and 1-8 without.

Stressing how important it will be for the Cardinals to stay relatively healthy if they want to be successful, the Oklahoma product is confident that the trajectory of the the team will depend on how they start the season.

“Every game matters in the NFL,” Murray said. “For us to start out healthy right now – godwilling we continue to be healthy going into Week 1, any advantage we can get as far as winning games early on in the season will helps us later in the season. If we can get that timing down now which we didn’t get to last year, that’s obviously going to help.”

K1 wants to win, and wants to win now

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) speaks to the media during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday, July 29, 2024.

Sky is the limit for the potential of the Cardinals

With the free agent signings of running back DeeJay Dallas, linebacker Mack Wilson, defensive lineman Justin Jones, defensive tackle Bilal Nichols and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting among others, Arizona’s reshaped roster will look to improve on a 4-13 season last year.

But as the new season gets closer and closer to the first kickoff, the NFC West is still full of talent and will present problems that the Cardinals will have to tackle.

Even without former ASU wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk who dealing with contract issues, the talent-rich San Francisco 49ers are just coming off Super Bowl LVIII and they are not going to fall off of a cliff all of a sudden. The Seattle Seahawks did see Pete Carroll leave his head coaching role, but new HC Mike Macdonald still has plenty of weapons like Tyler Lockett, Geno Smith and DK Metcalf who can take over a game at any given moment. As for the Rams, they sneakily put together a solid 10-7 season last year and made it to the postseason, so they will look to repeat or add onto it.

Knowing the challenges that are ahead of them, Murray has identified the potential of the Cardinals and how good they can be given that there are many of his teammates who have came from winning cultures.

“I think a lot of the guys in the room have been in really good offenses and understand what that feels like,” Murray said. “I know what I have and what this group is capable of, and that’s the exciting part. Not only do we have the guys in there, but they love the game and are willing to work and they all understand it. That’s half the battle, not just having the guys but them actually believing.

“I think the sky is the limit, I don’t put a limitation on what this offense can be or do. I think we are very versatile, got great skillsets as far as receivers and running backs, me coming back healthy. I don’t feel like I even scratched the surface of what I am capable of when moving around and being a dual threat. I don’t put any limitation on what we can do.”

Coming from a highly-touted Oklahoma program which were 35-6 in his three-year stint, Murray is 28-36-1 as a quarterback in the NFL in his first five seasons. Since he was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Arizona has only made the playoffs in 2021.

Hoping to return to winning ways, Murray takes for granted the opportunity that he has with the Cardinals and wants to make the most of it.

“The sense of urgency [to win] is definitely there,” Murray said. “You never know when the game is going to be taken away from you, you never know how long you are going to be playing. My goal is to be the best. That’s been my dream since I was 4 years old, to be a quarterback in the NFL and win Super Bowls. That’s what I strive to do every single day.”