by TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Tuesday afternoon.
Murray went down in Monday night’s 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots after a 3-yard run on the third play of the game. He was taken off the field and didn’t come back. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the injury.
“This is obviously unfortunate and hard to see,” Kingsbury said. “And talking to him last night, um, yeah, that was a tough night.”
Murray was “very disappointed” when Kingsbury spoke to him on Monday night.
“He’s as competitive as anyone I’ve ever seen,” said Kingsbury. “So, he wanted to finish the season strong, and we’ve faced a lot of adversity so far this season and we’re looking forward to this last month and trying to really build for next year. So, definitely disappointed.”
Murray will receive further opinions and tests on the knee, Kingsbury said, who expects to receive a final report on the extent of the damage on Wednesday. However, Kingsbury said the Cardinals have not discussed a time frame for Murray to return. Kingsbury stressed that return times vary from player to player. Nor have the Cardinals discussed where Murray’s rehabilitation will take place, in Arizona or Dallas, and who will oversee it, the Cardinals’ medical staff or Murray’s doctors and coaches.
“That’s an interesting question,” Kingsbury said. “I’m sure whoever it is with, it will be done right, and he wants to come back, talk last night, bigger, stronger, faster than ever.
“And I think Joe Burrow and what he was able to do going back to his [ACL injury] it’s encouraging for Kyler. And, therefore, he’s definitely up for the challenge by talking to him last night.”
During their conversation after Monday’s game, Kingsbury said he wanted Murray to know how much he was appreciated and that “we’re going to get over this.”
“He has never suffered this kind of serious injury and so it will be a new challenge for him,” said Kingsbury.
Suffering a season-ending injury with four games left was the latest in a roller coaster year for Murray. Between Murray’s contract dominating the headlines during the offseason and in training camp with the independent study clause reveal eventually being lifted, him dealing with a wrist injury and COVID-19 in training camp , to a hamstring injury that caused him to miss two games, Murray is up against a lot in 2022.
“A tough year, obviously, from the start with not doing much in training camp with wrist and then COVID and then having a tough stretch, not playing as well offensively as we thought we could,” said Kingsbury. “And I really thought against the Chargers our pace was a little bit better and I was excited about these last five games.
“And, therefore, not being able to build some sort of construction that’s been disappointing and just hard on everyone involved.”
Murray wasn’t the only Cardinals quarterback to have an MRI on Tuesday.
Backup quarterback Colt McCoy is being tested for a head injury, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The source said the results were encouraging and that McCoy should be able to start Sunday in Denver.
Kingsbury said during its press conference that McCoy appeared to emerge from the game unharmed.
“He had some shots there late, but he looked like he was in good shape today,” said Kingsbury.
Arizona will likely be without defensive lineman Zach Allen, who has a hand injury, Kingsbury said, against the Broncos Sunday.
