Is Kyler Murray Asian?
As Kyler Murray left high school it was clear that the young athlete was destined for stardom. After transferring from Texas A&M University to the University of Oklahoma, the Texas native earned the 2018 Heisman Trophy. His success didn’t end there. Murray entered the NFL in 2019. Let’s look at the quarterback’s career and common things fans wonder about him, especially his background.
Kyler Murray’s NFL career so far
In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals chose Murray. After a successful season, the talented football player received the 2019 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Even though the new NFL season has only just begun, Murray’s fans and viewers can probably tell he doesn’t plan on slowing his roll anytime soon.
Just the other day in a game against Washington, Murray showed off his impressive skills with a 21-yard touchdown completely untouched, details ESPN. The quarterback’s unique talents are undeniable.
How Murray is making NFL history
Murray’s reputation and performances speak on their own. His plays and accomplishments on the football field are usually the reason the athlete finds himself in so many headlines and stories, but there is much more to the picture. Murray’s Korean history has been highlighted and celebrated since the athlete first joined the NFL.
When Murray was selected as the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft it marked “the first-ever Asian American to be an NFL no.1 draft pick,” according to Resonate. Murray’s father is African American, but his ancestors from his mother’s side keep him closely connected to the culture. In this interview, Murray talked about how he wishes to take his mother to South Korea someday for a trip.
This significant moment for Murray and the NFL aligns with the recent efforts taken by the NFL to ensure that the game everyone loves so dearly is considered more global. The players and NFL owners continue to bargain to create the best possible conditions for the players. Hopefully, by increasing their efforts to promote its international players program, the NFL will successfully be able to offer international players more experiences and opportunities.
What have some of the Korean community been saying about Murray’s Korean representation?
It didn’t take long for word to get out about Murray being the first American-Asian to land an overall first pick. Unfortunately, a lot of the Korean community did not seem pleased with the NFL’s decision to exploit Murray’s heritage in this moment. A recent Reddit discussion showed why some people think it is being used more like a marketing strategy. One individual in the thread asked, “Are we going to claim Kyler Murray now because he’s 1/4th Korean? Really?” It seems like many people are indicating that the NFL is more passionate about Murray’s background than Murray himself.
One comment in the thread read, “Nothing against the kid, but he does absolutely nothing for Asian representation, and you’d honestly have to be a bit touched in the head to think otherwise.” Though Murray has addressed his Korean roots, it definitely has been sparingly.
Nonetheless, Murray’s historical moment reflects the future of his promising career as well as the exciting plans of the NFL. Hopefully, Murray will continue to have a very successful career.
