The Arizona Cardinals have made it official: seventh-year quarterback Kyler Murray is headed to the bench.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon named veteran Jacoby Brissett the starter for this week’s trip to Seattle, and added that he’d stick with Brissett even if Murray were fully healthy.
Murray (mid-foot sprain) could dress as the backup, but the starting job is Brissett’s.
Why now?
This had felt inevitable, but it’s still jarring given Murray’s mega-extension (signed through 2028, guaranteed through 2026).
Brissett has simply outplayed him. In three starts, Brissett has thrown for 860 yards, six TDs, one INT and piloted back-to-back 27-point outings, including a 27–17 win over Dallas. Arizona is averaging 25.7 points and 357 yards with him, compared to 18.8 points and 288.4 yards in Murray’s five starts.
A lot of up’s and down during the Kyler Murray era in Arizona
— H刃wk (@HawksTruth) November 4, 2025
Will never forget all the amazing moments Kyler Murray brought to this team
I hope to see Kyler flourish with another team
Thank you for everything Baby Yoda pic.twitter.com/zreZcBrvrw
Team officials continue to cite Murray’s foot as “still a factor.” Multiple evaluations reportedly put his recovery window at 4–8 weeks, with no surgery recommended but elevated setback risk if he returns too soon.
Gannon initially said Murray would reclaim the job once healthy, then reversed course a day later, emphasizing “clarity” for game-planning and how well the offense is operating with Brissett. Murray has practiced in a limited capacity but “isn’t moving normally” yet; injured reserve remains a possibility if progress stalls.
What it means for Murray & Arizona
On the field, the critique hasn’t changed: since his polished rookie year, Murray has delivered variations of the same season without the expected leap, and his scrambling value is muted by a compromised foot.
Benching the former No. 1 pick, a team captain on a massive deal, shows a seismic recalibration. If Brissett sustains competence, Murray’s most realistic path is an offseason trade, where a system reset under a QB-friendly playcaller could revive his trajectory.
For now, though, the Cardinals are riding the hot hand, and their $230 million quarterback is stuck on the sidelines.
Sources: Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have consulted with multiple doctors on his foot injury and have been told the timetables for recovery have been anywhere from 4-8 weeks, with an increased chance of setback until it’s properly healed. Murray now has more time to heal. pic.twitter.com/a6bPJJeEwL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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