Arizona’s quarterback ghosts could come back to haunt us

Two quarterbacks linger like ghosts in Arizona, casting long shadows over the Valley.

Imagine the bitterness if Sam Leavitt wins the national championship at LSU. Imagine the response if Kyler Murray leads the Vikings to the NFL playoffs. 

And what happens if Leavitt lands at the top of the Cardinals’ wish list by the time they assemble for the 2027 NFL Draft? 

All of it could happen.

Leavitt’s debut at LSU started poorly. On the second play of the game, his pass was tipped by his receiver and intercepted by the Clemson defense. It was the only blemish on a sensational performance. 

Leavitt responded with 230 passing yards, 113 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 51 unanswered points. The Tigers amassed a program-record 38 first downs, and Leavitt promptly earned SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Leavitt was the top-ranked player in the transfer portal when he left ASU, and after his Death Valley debut, he served notice that he might be the best quarterback in a loaded collegiate class. 

Like Murray, Leavitt’s departure was cloaked in mystery. He was adored in Tempe after co-starring with Cam Skattebo in ASU’s remarkable journey to the College Football Playoff in 2024. But injuries took him down in 2025. There was confusion about the timing of his foot injury, along with rumors he hurt himself playing pickup basketball. 

But it was the end that really bothered ASU fans, a time when Leavitt went largely silent, skipping the team’s end-of-season banquet. And after signing with LSU for a reported $4.5 million, he made things worse with comments that seemed to throw shade on his former university.

“It truly is just a different situation,” Leavitt said of LSU. “You talk about being a pro, trying to become the best version of yourself, and there’s no other place to do it, other than here.” 

Many local fans couldn’t understand how any quarterback would want to leave a Kenny Dillingham program, or how they wouldn’t want to be a significant part of ASU’s historic uprising, a program once considered a sleeping giant. Turns out, he was just the biggest mercenary in the sport, with no desire to be a forever hero in Tempe. He’s a sign of the times. 

Now, Murray. His mysterious foot injury happened on a Week 5 play when he took a snap off the cage of his helmet and refused to dive on the loose ball. That was the last game he ever played in Arizona. 

The Cardinals will pay Murray $36.8 million to play elsewhere in 2026, a number slightly offset by the $1.3 million he’ll earn from the minimum contract he signed to play in Minnesota. If Murray shines in a new uniform, that will be an expensive mistake.  The embarrassment will be even worse. 

Cardinals fans savored many magical moments from Murray over a tumultuous seven-year marriage, including a two-point conversion against the Raiders that might rank among the greatest individual feats in NFL history. We have also seen the deconstruction of a former No. 1 overall pick who couldn’t see the field; who stopped running the ball; and who was never a good leader. A majority think he’s a lost cause. But what if we’re the problem? 

Both Leavitt and Murray resurface on giant stages. Under the villainous Lane Kiffin, LSU is the most scrutinized program in college football. Under Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings are surrounding Murray with explosive skill players and an elite play caller. Which means both players can make us look small, unworthy of their talents. Especially the Cardinals, who devoted seven years, two head coaches and $205 million to a player who couldn’t finish seasons. At least not here. 

It’s also why Arizona needs the “CB Era” – Cutter Boley and Carson Beck – to be a special kind of good in the coming years: 

Good enough to make us forget.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7. 

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