Cardinals Mum on Colt McCoy-Clayton Tune QB1 Battle amid Kyler Murray's Injury Rehab

Either 13-year veteran Colt McCoy or rookie Clayton Tune will lead the Arizona Cardinals at quarterback until Kyler Murray returns from a torn ACL suffered last December. However, it remains unclear who's in the driver's seat for the job.

When asked if McCoy has done enough to lead Arizona to start the season, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon had this to say, per Darren Urban of the team's official website.

"When we need to name the starters we'll name the starters," Gannon said. "He's doing a good job. I thought he operated well. I think he's getting more and more comfortable with what we are asking him to do. He's obviously played a lot of football but I like where his game is trending."

McCoy, who turns 37 on Sept. 5, has played 56 games (36 starts) over his career for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Washington, New York Giants and Cardinals. He has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 7,975 yards (6.5 yards per attempt), 34 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. In limited 2023 preseason action, McCoy has completed 9-of-12 passes for 42 yards.

The 24-year-old Tune joined the Cardinals as a fifth-round draft pick out of Houston in April. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 4,069 yards (8.2 yards per attempt), 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year while adding 544 rushing yards and five scores. Over two preseason games, Tune has completed 25-of-47 passes for 268 yards, a touchdown and a pick alongside 44 rushing yards (10 attempts).

Arizona has one more preseason game on Saturday evening at the Minnesota Vikings before beginning the regular season on Sept. 10 at the Washington Commanders.

As for Murray, the Cardinals' quarterback told reporters on July 29 that he's taking it "one day at a time." There is no timetable for his return.

"I wouldn't want to go out there and hurt the team or hurt myself," Murray said, per Urban. "The advice I've gotten from a lot of people around me is, obviously, to go when you are ready. Don't feel pressured to come back because of this situation or that situation. I feel when that time comes, I'll know."

Murray underwent successful reconstructive surgery on Jan. 3 to repair his ACL and meniscus in his right knee. He suffered the non-contact injury three weeks beforehand during a regular season game against the New England Patriots.