Murray’s advice to draft picks: Stand for something bigger than yourself

A year ago, Kyler Murray was waiting with bated breath to see if the Arizona Cardinals would take him with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

On the day of the 2020 NFL Draft, Murray published a story to the Players’ Tribune giving advice to the incoming rookie class with an important message: “For the first time, you have the chance to stand for something much bigger than yourself.”

Look to the vets, man. When you finally step into that locker room, you’re on hallowed ground. You’re rubbing shoulders with legends — some who have been in this game for 12, 13 years. (Or if you’re Fitz, 17.)  … I’ve noticed there’s a common denominator for guys who stick around in this league: They have a purpose that’s bigger than themselves.

Murray transitioned into the own cause he’s working to help. In the Dallas Independent School District, he saw that school meals were the only meals some kids received.

He wrote: “School is not just school for those kids. School is their lifeline.”

He said that today, 30 million kids rely on schools for their meals.

Murray’s cause is GENYOUth, which launched a coronavirus initiative to help fund up to $3,000 per school for meal distribution and delivery.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a quiet guy. I normally don’t speak out like this. I put my head down, I work hard, and I serve my team, period. But my team is not just my Arizona Cardinals family. It’s not just my NFL family. It’s the millions of kids across America who need our help – not to mention all the essential workers who protect those kids.

Maybe you were one of those kids, once upon a time.

And now look at you.

This draft isn’t just about getting a new football team and getting some real money in your bank. It’s about the journey that it took to get there, Murray wrote.

It’s about the ups and the downs and the moments of celebration and the moments you nearly quit. It’s about the people who helped the athletes get to this point.

Now, he warns the athletes, be ready to “get hit harder than you ever have” in football. He warns that the athletes’ life is about to change, but advises them not to change with it.

Murray also says to listen to the veterans. What he’s learned from veterans on the Cardinals including Larry Fitzgerald:

It’s about what you do off the field when no one is looking — especially right now. It’s about showing the kids from your city that you are worth believing in. It’s about being the man your family prayed you’d be.

So what are you going to stand for? It can’t just be the W’s and L’s.

Follow @AZSports