Broncos’ Sean Payton on turning down Cardinals: ‘I don’t hate Kyler Murray’

As the Cardinals still search for a head coach, newly hired Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton addressed rumors that he turned down the Arizona job because of starting quarterback Kyler Murray.

The rumors started when Fox analyst and colleague to Payton, Terry Bradshaw, said on the record Tuesday at media row during Super Bowl LVII week that the now-Bronco didn’t want to come to Arizona because of “the quarterback.”

Although much of Bradshaw’s interview was given in a very joking manner, his quote still sparked speculation that Payton quickly put to rest on Thursday.

“No, I don’t hate Kyler Murray,” Payton told Kay Adams on the Up and Adams Show.

“I think (Murray) is extremely talented, and I think they have the same challenges there that we have in Denver. They are very similar challenges. Culture in the building has to be better. It just does.”

Payton mentioned how his son is Murray’s biggest fan. After the coach’s seven-hour interview in Arizona, his kid even showed him different Murray highlights from his high school and college days.

The head coach also noted that the speculation of him hating Murray came from Bradshaw being upset that the head coach was not returning to Fox, rather than inside information that Payton had provided him.

“When Terry gets interviewed, you hold your breath, because you don’t know what’s going to come out,” Payton told Adams.

“My instincts were pushing me in a direction with Denver. When the process began at 9 AM L.A. time on (Jan.) 17th, that was the first day I could interview, there they were. We spent 4.5 hours then.”

The rumors gained traction after many of the Cardinals’ reported head-coaching candidates took gigs elsewhere over the Arizona job.

Dan Quinn is remaining as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, Brian Flores accepted a defensive coordinator job with the Minnesota Vikings, Payton is in Denver, DeMeco Ryans is off to coach the Houston Texans and Ejiro Evero will be Frank Reich’s defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers.

Per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, Arizona is expected to name a head coach sometime after the Super Bowl.