In a pre-draft interview with the Cowboys, Oklahoma linebacker and NFL prospect Kenneth Murray opened up about a moment that forged him into the player he is today.
There are moments in an interview where you learn something about a prospect that goes far beyond football.@OU_Football LB Kenneth Murray provided one of those moments in his interview with the #DallasCowboys. pic.twitter.com/rxq6vYKn8X
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 8, 2020
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones asked a question he said he asks often in interviews: “If you can call up a setback… What do you think gave you a lot of the setbacks, or the controversy or the challenge that might’ve helped you be the football player you are?”
Murray’s answer was unique.
“Around the age of 11 my parents adopted three special needs kids.” Murray said. “It was kind of a unique situation for us. The disease that they had was extremely, extremely rare. Only one other set of children had it in the world. So that pushed my parents into more than 25, 30 doctors appointments a week just to be able to be able to get the kids the proper help that they need to get them started and get them help that they need.”
His siblings, James, Lenny and James entered his household when he was 10 years old.
“My parents were leaning on me a lot given that I was the oldest,” Murray said. “I was the kid, my parents, anytime they needed anything, anytime things should be done, I was the oldest child. I was the one everybody was looking to.”
Fast-forwarding years later, Murray was commandeering a rising Sooner defense, one that saw strides under Alex Grinch’s off-field, and the linebacker on-field leadership.
“I wouldn’t say it was a setback, I’d say it was a blessing.” Murray continued. “At that age, it forced me to be what you guys see on the field right now. The product of a kid that’s a go-getter, the product of a kid that just goes out and just gets it for himself.”
Murray is now in the draft process. He started three seasons at Oklahoma, amassing 335 tackles, nine sacks and 37 for loss. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, prospects are forced to do online interviews. The NFL Draft will be moved to a virtual format as well.
Jones said what most were thinking following Murray’s touching story. “Kenneth, that’s strong. Thank you.”
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