Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will not play again in 2025 due to a lingering mid-foot sprain, coach Jonathan Gannon announced Friday. The injury has fueled speculation about Murray's future with the team that drafted him first overall in 2019. With backup Jacoby Brissett performing well, potential trade destinations for Murray are emerging.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Friday that quarterback Kyler Murray is shut down for the remainder of the 2025 season. Murray has not played since October 5, when he suffered a mid-foot sprain during a Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans. He was placed on injured reserve on November 5, and despite hopes for a return, a second medical opinion revealed insufficient progress in his recovery.
"Kyler will not play again this year," Gannon said. "He had some more tests done this week. Went out of state and got another opinion on it. It's not progressing where it's gonna make sense that he can go. He's gonna be done for the year."
Prior to the injury, Murray completed 68.3% of his passes for 192.4 yards per game, with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 34.6 yards per game and one touchdown. In his absence, the Cardinals are 1-6 with Jacoby Brissett starting, contributing to an overall 3-9 record. Brissett has averaged 243.1 passing yards per game, with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions on 67.5% completion.
Gannon named Brissett the starter in Week 10, stating he would have stuck with him even if Murray had recovered. When asked about Murray as the 2026 starter, Gannon replied, "I'm worried about the Rams right now, honestly."
Speculation about Murray's future has intensified, given his $230.5 million contract extension from 2022, which includes a $53.2 million cap hit in 2026. Potential landing spots if traded include the New York Jets, with $100.2 million in projected cap space and assets like Garrett Wilson; the Pittsburgh Steelers, amid their struggles; the Las Vegas Raiders, with $107.1 million in cap space; the Cleveland Browns, needing quarterback stability; the Minnesota Vikings, despite cap challenges; or a team hiring former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who has a history with Murray dating back to high school recruitment.