New Cowboys LB Kenneth Murray Jr. shares 2025 expectations

The Missouri City, Texas native will now represent the team he grew up watching during his youth.

“It’s definitely great, I grew up watching the Cowboys,” Murray Jr. told DallasCowboys.com. "I'm excited to be here, I love being able to have that star on my helmet. I'm ready to go to work."

The former 2020 first-round pick detailed what he plans to bring to a defense coordinated by a returning Matt Eberflus and what it will take for a unit that will look to replicate its 2021 to 2023 dominance.

"I just come to wreak havoc, come to bring my play style, play downhill, fly around to the ball," Murray Jr. said. "When I'm doing that, it's very special. I'm just trying to come in and be around a bunch of guys who want to win and just win some games."

"Physicality is something that is extremely important in this game," Murray Jr. added. "I think for us it's going to be definitely a staple of what we're about, talking to [Matt Eberflus] and [Dave Borgonzi], everybody around, it's definitely been exciting seeing what we're going to be able to do."

Now entering his sixth season, Murray Jr. is looking to come in and embrace the role of being a leader on defense while filling in the shoes of former All-Pro and last year's leader in tackles for the Cowboys in Eric Kendricks who is now a free agent.

"I'm looking to be the dude, the guy in the middle running everything and just doing what I do best," Murray Jr. said. "I feel like that's when I'm at my best, when I'm in the middle of everything running the show and just flying around and making plays."

Speaking of Kendricks, the two were teammates with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. Murray Jr. credits the long time defender with helping shape his development.

"Learned a lot from him about the ins and outs of the game, how to be a pro, little intricacies that you only get from guys that have been around for a long time," Murray Jr. said. "He's a hell of a dude."

The 6-foot-2, 241-pound linebacker will join a group that features All-Pro Micah Parsons, last year's promising rookie Marist Liufau, and a hopeful DeMarvion Overshown, who the Cowboys hope to see a speedy recovery from.

"We got some dudes that can go," Murray said. "We're just looking to get this thing rolling and just get to flying around to the ball and wreaking havoc."