Kyler Murray Bio
Kyler Cole Murray (born August 7, 1997) is an American professional football quarterback who currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He rose to national prominence as a dual-sport star at the high school and college levels, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018 as a member of the Oklahoma Sooners. Murray was selected first overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL draft and is the first athlete to be picked in the first round of both the NFL and Major League Baseball (MLB) drafts.
Early Life and Background
Kyler Cole Murray was born on August 7, 1997, in Bedford, Texas. He grew up in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and attended Allen High School in Allen, Texas, where he became one of the most decorated high school football players in the state. As a senior in 2014, he was named Gatorade Football Player of the Year and became the first player ever to win Mr. Texas Football twice. During his high school career, he led Allen to three consecutive state championships and a 43-game winning streak, finishing with a perfect 42–0 record as a starting quarterback.
Murray was rated as a five-star recruit and the top dual-threat quarterback in his class by ESPN, Scout.com, and 247Sports. He also starred as a shortstop and second baseman on the baseball team, and was the first player ever selected for both the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and the Under Armour All-America Football Game. In May 2014, he committed to play both football and baseball at Texas A&M University, and he officially signed with the Aggies on February 4, 2015.
Path to Professional Football
As a true freshman at Texas A&M in 2015, Kyler Murray competed with Kyle Allen for the starting quarterback job. He won the position after two straight losses and delivered a memorable first start against South Carolina, throwing for 223 yards and rushing for 156 yards with a passing and a rushing touchdown. Murray was later benched in favor of Allen, and on December 24, 2015, he announced his transfer to the University of Oklahoma. He sat out the 2016 season under NCAA transfer rules.
In 2017, Murray served as a backup to Heisman winner Baker Mayfield and saw limited action. With Mayfield off to the NFL, Murray won the starting job in 2018 and produced one of the greatest seasons in Oklahoma history. He threw for more than 4,000 yards and 42 touchdowns, rushed for over 1,000 yards and 12 scores, and led the Sooners to a Big 12 Championship and a College Football Playoff appearance. In December 2018, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, joining Mayfield to give Oklahoma back-to-back winners. He also won the Davey O’Brien Award, the Manning Award, the AP College Football Player of the Year, and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.
Kyler Murray Career
Arizona Cardinals (2019–2025)
The Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray with the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft, making him the shortest quarterback ever taken in the first round. He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 9, 2019, worth $35.2 million. Murray made his NFL debut on September 8, 2019, against the Detroit Lions, throwing for 308 yards and two touchdowns in a 27–27 tie. He finished his rookie season with 3,722 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions to go with 544 rushing yards and four rushing scores, earning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
In 2020, Murray was named to his first Pro Bowl after passing for 3,971 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushing for 819 yards and 11 scores. His signature moment came in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, when his 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins, later known as “Hail Murray,” gave Arizona a 32–30 win. The following season, Murray earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod, led the Cardinals to a 7–0 start, and guided them to their first playoff appearance since 2015. In January 2022, he made his postseason debut, a 34–11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round.
On July 21, 2022, Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension with $160 million guaranteed, keeping him in Arizona through 2027. His 2022 season ended early when he tore his ACL against the New England Patriots in Week 14. After starting the 2023 campaign on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, he returned in November and played eight games, helping the Cardinals’ offense jump from 26th to ninth in the league in yards per game. In 2024, he set a historic mark in Week 2, completing 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns with a perfect passer rating in a 41–10 win over the Los Angeles Rams. He finished that season with 3,851 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 572 rushing yards. A foot injury in 2025 limited him to only five games before the team announced on December 5, 2025, that he would miss the remainder of the year. On March 11, 2026, the Cardinals released him after seven seasons, having ranked third in franchise history in passing yards (20,460) and touchdowns (121), and second in completions (1,974).
Minnesota Vikings (2026–Present)
On March 12, 2026, Kyler Murray signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings at the veteran’s minimum salary, a fitting return for a player who grew up rooting for the team. He joins a Vikings roster led by head coach Kevin O’Connell as a veteran backup and developmental piece. Murray’s arrival adds a former first overall pick and two-time Pro Bowler to the quarterback room.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kyler Murray is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks of his generation. His elite arm strength allows him to make every throw from the pocket, while his rare speed and lower-body quickness force defenses to account for his legs on every snap. He excels at extending plays, throwing accurately on the move, and reading coverage post-snap, traits that have made him a consistent big-play producer. His football intelligence and love of chess have been cited as tools that sharpen his in-game decision-making.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Murray’s signature moments are the 2018 Heisman Trophy, the “Hail Murray” touchdown pass against Buffalo in 2020, and his perfect 158.3 passer rating against the Rams in 2024. He is the first player ever drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB after being selected ninth overall by the Oakland Athletics in 2018, and he reached 100 career touchdowns faster than all but 11 players in league history. His career passing totals of 20,460 yards and 121 touchdowns rank him among the most productive quarterbacks of his era.
Kyler Murray Career Awards
Kyler Murray’s decorated résumé includes the 2018 Heisman Trophy, 2018 Davey O’Brien Award, 2018 Manning Award, 2018 AP College Football Player of the Year, 2018 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, 2018 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, 2018 First-team All-American, 2019 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 2019 PFWA All-Rookie Team, and Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2021.
League Honors
Murray was twice named NFC Offensive Player of the Week during the 2020 season and added a third weekly honor after a 266-yard, three-touchdown performance against the New York Jets in 2024. He was also named Madden NFL 21 Pro Bowl MVP after the 2020 exhibition.
Kyler Murray Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Although not a racing family, Murray’s background is steeped in athletics. His father, Kevin Murray, played quarterback at Texas A&M from 1983 to 1986. His uncle, Calvin Murray, was a professional baseball player who appeared in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and Chicago Cubs. His cousin, Devin Duvernay, is a University of Texas alumnus and a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears. Murray’s maternal grandmother is a South Korean national, giving him a multicultural family heritage.
Personal Life
Kyler Murray is a practicing Christian and has spoken openly about how his faith shapes his life and career. Despite being a Texas native, he grew up as a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, the team he now plays for, and famously avoided supporting the Dallas Cowboys. He is an avid chess player who has credited the game with sharpening his on-field decision-making and has competed in Chess.com BlitzChamps tournaments, reaching the grand final twice. Murray is also an avid video-gamer and signed with FaZe Clan in 2021, later partnering with Call of Duty to promote Black Ops 6 in 2024.
2025 Season Performance
Kyler Murray’s 2025 season with the Arizona Cardinals was cut short by injury. He opened the year as Arizona’s starting quarterback but suffered a foot injury in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, a 22–21 loss. Despite the injury, he completed 22 of 31 passes for 220 yards in that game. He was ruled out for the following three weeks, and on November 5, 2025, he was placed on injured reserve, keeping him sidelined until at least December. On December 5, the Cardinals announced that Murray would miss the remainder of the season, ending his seventh year in Arizona.
Across his limited appearances in 2025, Murray continued to provide steady playmaking and leadership for an offense working under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon. The team’s midseason pivot to a younger quarterback room highlighted the franchise’s long-term planning as Murray’s contract situation loomed. His absence also opened the door for increased evaluation of the Cardinals’ depth and future direction at the position heading into 2026.
Following the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, the Cardinals made the decision to release Murray on March 11, 2026, ending his seven-year tenure in Arizona. The move freed up significant cap space and signaled a new era for the organization. One day later, Murray signed a one-year veteran’s minimum deal with the Minnesota Vikings, setting the stage for a fresh chapter in his career with the team he supported as a child.
