Cardinals Stamp Kyler Murray's Status vs Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals aren't playing games when it comes to their starting quarterback.

Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- There's no mincing words of Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon when asked if Kyler Murray was preparing to start against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 9:

"Yeah."

This comes after speculation surrounding Murray's spot in the starting lineup thanks to the play of backup Jacoby Brissett, who subbed in for Murray while he was out with a foot sprain in Arizona's last two games.

The Cardinals still failed to escape with wins, though the offense notably looked different with Brissett at the helm, which stirred conversations around who should be the starting quarterback upon Murray's return.

That conversation still exists outside the facility - but for the Cardinals, it's a shut case.

Murray had an extra week of rest with their bye week, and Gannon believes the entire team benefited from the break:

"I think for everybody, just with your health bucket. You start playing games, and the train's rolling I think for everybody, I actually thought - well you guys [reporters] leave at that point - but the offense versus defense, the pace was really good. I laugh, but it's like, 'Oh, they're juiced up to play.' They are, but they're rested, and it looks a little bit different. So it was very beneficial."

Earlier in the week, Gannon mentioned the Cardinals tweaked some small things for Murray as he prepares for a comeback.

"I think we looked at a couple things that might help him out that he feels maybe a little more comfortable with in some things that we've been doing, but he'll be his normal self when he gets out there," he said on Murray.

Thus far, Murray has completed 68% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

He's by no measure been bad for a struggling Cardinals offense, though it's clear he's not quite capable of elevating this specific unit to new heights.

Entering 2025, this was supposed to be a definitive year for Murray's time in the desert. While things haven't gone his way, Murray's next test appears to be lining up against the Cowboys, a team he's had historically good success against.

“Offensively, (it’s a) really good scheme (with) really good players," Gannon said of Dallas.

"Defensively, you guys know I was with ‘Flu’ (Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus). He'll figure it out. They’ve had some injuries. How they play on offense, they play a lot of possessions. They're fast, they play physical, and they can take the ball away. We'll get their best shot. I know that.”

We'll get out first injury report for Week 9 later today, but the Cardinals are clear with their intentions on starting Murray.