Kyler Murray will not play another NFL snap for the Arizona Cardinals in 2025.
NFL Injury Update: Kyler Murray
HC Jonathan Gannon addresses the media ahead of today's practice https://t.co/B5DEHPrTPV
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 5, 2025
Murray’s 2025 campaign is over.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon announced on Friday that Murray will not play again this season. Murray has been on injured reserve since suffering a foot injury in Week 5.
The foot has not healed properly, and instead of rushing Murray back, the team has elected to shut him down for the final five games.
“He wasn’t progressing in a way that we wanted, so we went and got a different opinion, some different people, and (the foot) is just not right,” Gannon said.
Jacoby Brissett, who has started since Week 6, will remain the Cardinals’ starter.
Murray’s 2025 campaign ends having played only five games. Murray finished 110 of 161 for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions for a passer rating of 88.6. The former No. 1 pick also rushed for 173 yards on 29 carries with 1 touchdown.
Brissett has played admirably for the Cardinals in Murray’s absence — 204 of 302 for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Those numbers haven’t translated into wins, with the Cardinals going 2-7 in Brissett’s starts. Five of Brissett’s losses have come by four points or less.
At 3-9, the Cardinals have officially been eliminated from the playoffs.
Will Kyler Murray Play for the Cardinals in 2026?
This cryptic Kyler Murray post now makes a lot more sense.
His time is over in Arizona and for the sake of both sides, it should be. https://t.co/CK2YmfLRzP pic.twitter.com/hQuIvbh0MJ
— Benjamin Garcia (@BenGarciaShow) December 5, 2025
Is this the end of Murray’s tenure in Arizona?
Gannon would not commit to Murray as the team’s quarterback in 2026.
“I’m worried about the Rams right now, honestly,” Gannon said.
Murray, 29, signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension, with $160 million guaranteed, during the 2022 offseason. Murray is signed with the team through the 2028 season, but the Cardinals have a potential out after the 2027 season.
Murray’s fully guaranteed salary and bonuses for 2026 come to $36.8 million. If Murray is on the team on the fifth day of the NFL’s league year in March, he will receive his 2027 salary — $19.5 million fully guaranteed.
Murray has played seven seasons with the Cardinals, and all he has to show for it is one playoff game in 2021.
Murray and the Cardinals could be on the verge of a breakup this offseason.
The first option is a trade. Would a team trade for Murray, knowing the guarantees on his 2026 and 2027 salaries? There would be many moving parts in trade discussions, with Murray potentially having to restructure his contract to make it happen.
The more likely scenario is that the Cardinals release Murray before the fifth day of the new league year. If that happens, the Cardinals must pay Murray $36.8 million in 2026 while absorbing a $55 million dead cap hit.
For now, the Cardinals will work on defeating the Los Angeles Rams (9-3) on Dec. 7.
