Kyler Murray out for season with torn ACL

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Further testing has confirmed the worst about the injury to Arizona Cardinals franchise quarterback Kyler Murray. He suffered a torn ACL in his knee during the team’s loss to the New England Patriots on Monday, as first reported by Compare.bet’s Kyle Odegard.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday.

On the third play from scrimmage, Murray scrambled to his right and planted his feet to make a cut before falling to the ground without taking contact.

Murray stayed down and received an evaluation from trainers before he was carted off. Murray appeared dejected and placed a towel over his head. He waved to the crowd as he exited the field and was replaced by Colt McCoy.

Kingsbury suggested after the game that the team was fearing the worst.

“I’ve never seen him in that type of shape, so it wasn’t good,” Kingsbury said.

Murray’s season ends with him throwing 14 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He completed 66% of his passes for 2,368 yards.

He added 418 rushing yards on 6.2 yards per carry with three more scores on the ground.

The latest injury comes three weeks after Murray returned from an absence due to a right hamstring injury. He suffered a tweak in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings and had a setback the next week against the Seattle Seahawks before he was held out for the next two games.

Murray’s average yards per attempt (6.1), passer rating (87.2) and QBR (51.2) are career lows.

The fourth-year quarterback heads into the fifth and final year of his rookie deal before his franchise-record extension starts heavily eating into the cap sheet in 2024.

This offseason, the 2019 first overall pick signed a five-year extension that keeps him under contract through 2028. Reportedly worth $230.5 million, $103.3 million was guaranteed at signing, according to Spotrac.

While he will return as the starting quarterback when his injury recovery allows, the Cardinals’ remaining four games this season will only add to more existential questions heading into the offseason now that Arizona is all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Pressure has mounted on Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim this year as the team has fallen well short of expectations despite looking at a tightening financial situation with Murray’s contract and beyond.

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