Remember when the Arizona Cardinals removed the ‘homework’ clause from quarterback Kyler Murray’s contract after the clause was reported by the media?
The team should have kept it according to some comments from a teammate of Murray’s.
An anonymous teammate of Murray’s recently told Michael Silver, writing for Bally Sports, that ‘it was like they created a monster,’ after the quarterback signed his five-year, $230.5 million extension with Arizona over the summer.
The teammate, called a ‘Cardinals veteran’ in Silver’s story, wasn’t done.
Silver wrote in the story: ‘Once paid, the veteran said, Murray felt less compulsion to study his game plan or to fulfill the expectations of the franchise QB position than he had in the past, and the Cardinals’ collapse felt predictable.’
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Murray’s deal made him one of the highest paid quarterbacks, and players, in the NFL.
It was not without controversy, however.
The contract included an addendum that required at least four hours per week of studying the team’s opponent each week of the season, according to reports.
The clause was slammed throughout the league before, and after, it was removed from his contract.
‘After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,’ a Cardinals statement said. ‘It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in this contract.’
‘To think that I can accomplish everything that I’ve accomplished in my career, and not be a student of the game and not have that passion and not take this serious is disrespectful,’ Murray told the media. ‘And it’s almost a joke. To me, I’m flattered… that you all think that at my size, I can go out there and not prepare for the game and not take it serious. It’s disrespectful, I feel like, to my peers, to all the great athletes and great players that are in this league. This game is too hard to play the position that I play in this league. It’s too hard.’
He continued: ‘I’m not 6-7, 230 (pounds). I don’t throw the ball 85 yards. I’m already behind the eight ball. And I can’t afford to take any shortcuts, no pun intended. But those things you can’t accomplish if you don’t take the game serious, if you don’t prepare the right way. And, you know, it’s like I said, it’s laughable.’
He wasn’t done.
‘I refuse to let my work ethic, my preparation be questioned. I’ve put an incomprehensible amount of time and blood, sweat, tears and work into what I do,’ Murray said. ‘To those of you out there that believe that I’d be standing here today in front of you all without having a work ethic … I’m honored that you think that, but it doesn’t exist. It’s not possible.’
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill recently said that the QB would have ‘input’ in the team’s search for a new coach, a comment that came under scrutiny.
Just like Murray apparently is under for his work ethic once again.