Cardinals Shed More Light on Kyler Murray Injury

The Arizona Cardinals aren't saying Kyler Murray had a setback in his recovery.

Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) on the side line against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray is done for the 2025 season, though speculation has run rampant on what lies ahead in the future of both the former No. 1 pick and the organization.

There's also been quite the conjecture regarding Murray's mid-foot sprain, the severity of it and whether or not the Cardinals intentionally kept Murray on injured reserve as a way to "soft bench" him with Jacoby Brissett clearly functioning better under center.

While head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Murray -- to his knowledge -- isn't expected to have surgery on the foot injury that's kept him out since Week 6, he did join Arizona Sports' Burns and Gambo to dive a bit deeper into the topic:

Jonathan Gannon Addresses Kyler Murray Injury

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and head coach Jonathan Gannon share a laugh during training camp July 27, 2025. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When asked if Murray suffered a setback in his recovery, Gannon said: "I wouldn't call it that. They're all kind of different. How he was doing, how he was rehabbing, all those things, we just stalled out a little bit. Then he got a couple other opinions and he needs rest.

"He's trying to push to go, we're trying to push him to go as far as doing everything with movement. It's a tricky injury for him."

Murray was considered week-to-week before reports emerged of his mid-foot sprain actually being a 4-6 week injury, which prompted the Cardinals to place him on injured reserve.

Murray was first eligible to return this past Sunday, though Arizona opted to keep him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.

When asked if he was surprised Murray won't return, Gannon said:

"I wouldn't say surprised, because no injury recovery timeline surprises me. It's just the facts. You just interpret the facts as they are. I obviously had high hopes, but it didn't turn out like that."

What's Next for Kyler Murray?

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

It certainly feels like Murray's future in the desert can be described as cloudy at best given current circumstances.

While things certainly can change, the Cardinals are heavily favored to move on from Murray in the coming offseason, whether by trade or release.

Murray, still a talented passer, will surely have interested teams if Arizona does decide to part ways after seven years of play in the desert, though his $250.5 million contract and recent health issues could provide a speed bump in the road to moving on from Murray.

For the Cardinals, they're projected to have a top ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft while Brissett is under contract through the 2026 season.