Cardinals Give Vague Two-Word Answer on Kyler Murray Question

The Arizona Cardinals can see Kyler Murray's practice window open next week - but will it happen?

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray watches his team from the sidelines as they play the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Nov. 16, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals are officially out of playoff contention, and the door officially opens for Kyler Murray's return from injured reserve this week.

The future for seemingly everybody in Arizona appears to be cloudy, including their franchise quarterback who's missed every game since Week 6 due to a mid-foot injury.

Week 14 is the first opportunity Murray will have to practice, though Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon didn't give a convincing answer when asked about Murray returning this week.

"Not sure," said Gannon when asked about opening Murray's window in the moments after the loss to Tampa Bay.

Earlier in the day, NFL insider Ian Rapoport dropped the following update on Murray, which suggested the former top pick wouldn't be ready to return this week:

"Jacoby Brissett once again is their starting quarterback, by the way, fresh off setting an NFL record for most completions ever in a game with 47. Just a crazy statistic right there. Meanwhile, Kyler Murray, who began the season as the starter, is eligible to come off IR next week. Still dealing with a mid-foot strain. My understanding is it's a little early maybe for Kyler Murray [to return], thought he'd be fully healthy by now. Not quite yet. So certainly seems like it's going to be Jacoby Brissett for at least another week and potentially more."

The Cardinals have been more than comfortable with Brissett running the show. And while the stats have gone up, Arizona's hasn't found the win column at higher rates.

They're just 1-6 with Brissett under center.

"Hats off to Tampa Bay. They made a couple plays, more plays than us," Gannon said after the Tampa loss.

"The game came down to the wire there, a lot of back and forth. We lose the takeaway battle 2-0 we know it's going to be tough sledding. They converted some. We didn't. I love the fight by the group, I just told them in the locker room though, it comes down to a couple plays in all three phases.

"You're going against a good football team, and you got to make those plays. It starts with us coaches making sure that we're on the details, and start converting more of those plays so we can win a game."

When and if Murray is designated to return from injured reserve, he'll have a three-week window to practice before the Cardinals will be forced to either elevate him to the active roster or place him back on IR for the remainder of the season - though he can be activated at any point in that three-week window.

With only five games left in the season - and Arizona out of the postseason already - it will be interesting to see what Murray does moving into the future.