Long before the Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray to a one-year team-friendly contract, questions about his work ethic and his dedication to the cause hovered over him throughout his Arizona Cardinals tenure (2019-2025).
Running back Chase Edmonds was Murray’s teammate with the Cardinals from 2019 through the 2021 season. Edmonds recently spoke with Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard of Casino Guru News about what Murray was and wasn’t behind the scenes as Arizona’s QB1.
Kyler Murray impressed at least one teammate with his work ethic
“Look, I have never once questioned Kyler Murray’s work ethic,” Edmonds explained. “I know the work he puts in day in and day out to be prepared at the highest level. You know Kyler. You know his dad’s (high expectations).”
Back in January 2023, an unnamed veteran player who was with the Cardinals at that time generated headlines when he said that “it was like they created a monster” when the club signed Murray to a five-year contract extension reportedly worth $230.5M with $160M guaranteed the previous summer.
This past winter, one of Murray’s “former teammates” warned that fans shouldn’t want him as their quarterback. Retired quarterback and NFL analyst Shaun King shared that Murray “had to break some bad habits to have sustainability in this league,” and former NFL executive Louis Riddick openly questioned Murray’s “commitment” and “leadership.”
While making his comments, King suggested that former Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury could have done a better job at holding Murray “accountable” from the opening night of the 2019 draft up until the Cardinals fired Kingsbury in January 2023.
“When Kyler was younger, I do think he could have been helped, put in better positions, to really understand the grind it may take to play the quarterback position,” Edmonds told Odegard. “I do. But I don’t think that’s all on him, bro. To me, that’s from the top of the organization on down. When you draft a franchise player like that, you need to figure out how to mold him. Put people around him that are truly going to push him and help him grow. But in terms of work ethic? I’ve never questioned that.”
What Vikings fans should expect from Kyler Murray
Murray is expected to compete with 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy for the Minnesota starting job later this summer. Edmonds seems confident that Murray can and will thrive under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“For the Minnesota fans, I would just say that they are going to get the best version of Kyler Murray, one the NFL has not seen,” Edmonds added during his chat with Odegard. “When Kyler Murray first entered the NFL, he never experienced adversity. When you finally experience that adversity this late in your career? This version of Kyler, he’s going to be more motivated than he’s ever been in his entire life.”
If Murray proves Edmonds right and stays healthy, McCarthy may never take another meaningful in-game snap as a member of the Vikings.
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