Kyler Murray Still Showing Up for Cardinals Despite Being Sidelined

Kyler Murray isn’t on the field, but he hasn’t checked out. Cardinals coaches detail his presence and leadership late in the season.

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

ARIZONA -- Star your role.

That's a common saying in the Arizona Cardinals' facility, spearheaded by head coach Jonathan Gannon.

It means no matter what's being asked of you, whether you're a starter or a special teams player, you control what you can control to the max and shine as bright as possible in the moments you're called upon.

But what happens when roles get massively turned upside down?

How Kyler Murray Has Reacted to Eye-Opening 2025

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

That happens every NFL season on every team in the league, though not often does it happen to starting quarterbacks -- let alone former No. 1 picks and faces of the franchise like Kyler Murray.

Murray last touched the field in Week 5 and we haven't seen him back in action since after a foot injury ultimately landed him on injured reserve.

Murray's gone from potentially leading the charge of a postseason-ready team to serving as a sideline presence in street clothes.

The transition from perennial starter to backup isn't an easy one, especially for somebody as competitive as Murray.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon says Murray, who has been on injured reserve since Nov. 5, has been a consummate pro in adapting to his role while Jacoby Brissett is now behind the wheel in the desert.

"He's a pro, too. I know he's probably not happy how the season went with his health and he'll come back better than ever," Gannon told reporters.

Murray's been spotted at practices during periods open to the media while he's also been active in meetings, according to those in the building.

That's big, according to Gannon.

"Huge. You know what I mean? I mean, but if you're not playing, you obviously have a different role as it relates to the entire system in there. Guys have done a good job of that, because we've had guys out of the lineup, but they just take it one day at a time, and they're pros."

Confidence Not Wavering in Kyler Murray

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) leaves the field after defeating the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Injuries have piled up in the desert, as the Cardinals have used a league-leading 80 players this season. Murray's been an unfortunate brick in the wall of sidelined talent in Arizona.

After seven years, many expect Murray's tenure with the Cardinals to come to a close. Brissett impressed enough to give Arizona confidence to run the offense through the end of his contract in 2026 while a split between Murray and the Cardinals is probably for the best on both accounts.

There's still obstacles in getting Murray out of town, if that's truly desired, though quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork understands the frustration in what's transpired this season:

"It's been frustrating for him obviously. He's been supportive to his teammates, and he's really just been focused on kind of getting healthy. When he sees things -- because I think he has one of the best spatial awareness when it comes to playing football -- when he sees things on the field, he'll come up and he'll speak his mind and just trying to be supportive as much as he can to Jacoby," said Woolfork.

When asked if his confidence in Murray has changed, he said: "I haven't wavered one bit. I think he's a proven guy in the NFL, and I think he's put this team in position to win games. You saw that earlier this year. We had some tough losses while he's playing quarterback. And I think the biggest thing for him is just like it was frustrating from an injury standpoint, he couldn't put himself back on the field. So it was frustrating from that standpoint."

If this is truly it for Murray in Arizona, it's a bit disappointing to see him end his tenure on the sideline -- though by all accounts, he's still been doing his part behind the scenes.