Outside of the Super Bowl, the persisting story in the NFL has been around the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray, whether it is his Instagram account, comments made by someone in the organization or him responding to what he calls “nonsense.”
His leadership has been questioned.
While some comments that have come from those in the organization have been quite harsh and critical, some is reasonable and bring up valid things Murray can improve.
NFL Network’s Jim Trotter added insight to what is being said about Murray’s leadership.
Appearing on NFL Network on Tuesday, Trotter indicated that teammates and those in the organization “don’t know” who Murray is other than, “he’s a guy who keeps to himself, he tries to lead by example.”
They “still don’t know who he is because his personality is not such that he reaches out in that way.”
This doesn’t mean he is a recluse and doesn’t speak to teammates. That isn’t true. He is close with receivers Christian Kirk and DeAndre Hopkins. When the team acquired tight end Zach Ertz, Murray immediately connected with him and Ertz gushes about Murray.
This is perhaps the fairest commentary we have heard about Murray’s intangibles. He is a quiet player who prefers to lead by example, much like Larry Fitzgerald when he played. Fitzgerald never had a big voice in the room.
Does Murray need a bigger voice in the room? Perhaps. That is sort of expected from quarterbacks. But he also has begun to make those connections with teammates, even if it isn’t with all of them.
Murray, who will be entering his fourth NFL season, still has things to improve, as does every player in the NFL.
But perhaps it isn’t nearly as bad as some reports are painting Murray.
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