NFL Coach Ridicules Kyler Murray, Cardinals for Contract Extension and Play Style

Kyler Murray's five-year, $230.5 million contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals initially included language in the deal that required the quarterback to do independent study for four hours each week without other distractions like playing video games, before it leaked publicly, causing an uproar before being removed from the deal.

But it was an indication that perhaps the Cardinals had some questions about Murray's work ethic.

"It's the hardest position to play in the world of sports, and we have questions about study habits?" a veteran coach told The Athletic's Mike Sando. "We don't even have to get into being undersized and getting hurt and having a style of play that is limiting."

It's been an up-and-down start for Murray and the Cardinals in the 2022 season. The team has started 3-4, while Murray has thrown for 1,667 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions, completing 65.5 percent of his passes. He's also rushed for 263 yards and two scores.

The Cardinals established high expectations after starting last season 7-0. Since that time, however, they are just 7-11, including a postseason loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

Frustrations may be mounting a bit in the desert, even during Thursday's 42-34 win over the New Orleans Saints. At one point in the game, Murray could be seen telling head coach Kliff Kingsbury to "calm the f--k down" as he came to the sidelines during a timeout.

"He's real animated over there on the sideline sometimes," Murray told reporters. "It's, 'Calm down, we're good. We're going to make it right.' We ended up scoring, so that was good, but that's all I was saying. Just chill out."

Kingsbury, at least publicly, didn't seem bothered by the exchange.

"Yeah, I mean, it's good," he said. "I think we're working through as an offense where we want to be and what we want to do, and you have competitors that have a level of intensity like that, I think it will keep pushing us forward."

It wasn't the first spat between the two. Earlier in October, cameras caught Murray clearly gesturing at his coach to speed up the tempo.

They are the sort of exchanges that aren't much of a story if a team is winning, but become more telling when a team has had struggles. Add that layer of intrigue to the already existing question marks about whether Murray can live up to his massive contract extension, and you have a fascinating situation brewing in Arizona.