Kyler Murray Says 'Outside Noise Isn't a Distraction to Me' After Cardinals Contract

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray isn't concerned with how his push for a new contract this offseason affected how he's perceived.

"My teammates, my coaches, they know who I am," Murray told Fox Sports' Erin Andrews during Sunday's preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. "They know how much hard work I put into this, so all the outside noise isn't a distraction to me."

Murray was the catalyst of an eventful offseason for Arizona. After weeks of speculation that he was unhappy with the team, Murray expressed through his agent that he desired a new contract. The Cardinals met his demands by signing him to a $230.5 million extension through 2028 last month. The 25-year-old has the second-highest average annual value in the NFL at $46.1 million, which trails only Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers.

Despite the historic deal, Arizona quickly came under fire for including an addendum in Murray's contract that required him to study film for four hours a week. The team eventually removed the "independent study" clause from the contract amid a massive amount of criticism.

If that weren't enough, Murray missed time earlier in training camp after he tested positive for COVID-19. Murray said Sunday that the offseason tumult had an affect on the team, but he believes they're ready to move past it.

"I think there was a lot of negativity around the building, a lot of negativity around the team that kind of just got contagious and took over, and I think a lot of the guys felt that," Murray said. "We understand what we need to do next to take that next step. It's been a great camp, guys have been working hard, we're excited about the season."

Murray and the Cardinals open the 2022 season Sept. 11 in a marquee matchup at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.