Aug 2, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) during the Red and White practice in training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What We Need to See From Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray vs Chiefs

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Richie Bradshaw | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 1:15 PM ET

We officially have Arizona Cardinals football tonight after a long, long offseason of waiting. With so much hype heading into the year, it’s a relief to see this team on the field finally. There’s plenty that we will be paying attention to, as well.

As one would imagine, all eyes will be on Kyler Murray as he enters his seventh year in the league and perhaps his most important yet.

It will be nice for a change to see him take the field in the preseason, as he has missed the majority of exhibition play for the last several years. However, Murray will play tonight, and regardless of how long he remains on the field, there will be certain aspects of his game that we will be paying attention to.

What We Need to See From Kyler Murray

The biggest thing we will be watching for—and perhaps the only thing we will truly get to witness—is the confidence he exudes on the field. Confidence will not be measured by statistics, but rather the way we see him go about it. Even in what is ultimately meaningless football, what we need to see most is the way he conducts himself on the field.

You can always tell when a player is feeling himself, and Murray is no exception. He can be the best player on the field when he’s dialed in, but he can be just as big a liability otherwise. It’s by far the biggest reason his popularity with fans is so uneven.

So when he takes the field tonight, whether for one drive, a quarter, or more, we have to see Murray playing with the swagger that makes him so dangerous.

Unfortunately, beyond this, we can’t truly break down what we want/need to see. There’s simply no telling how much time we can reasonably expect to see Murray on the field.

If time permits, I would like to see how he looks as a runner more than anything else. The talk all offseason was that he wants to use his legs more, and the preseason is a good time to try some things out. So if he means what he says, then let’s see some running.

Toss in a couple of shots down the field, and I’m a happy man.

What we’re paying attention to tonight won’t be measured on the stat sheet for Murray, but rather in the way he approaches the game. Hopefully, when we look back at this game, we will see a fiery and determined quarterback who understands the weight of this season.

This article first appeared on Arizona Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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