Update: The Cardinals have removed the “independent study” requirement from Kyler Murray’s contract. Original story is as follows.
The Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray went into this offseason on considerably rocky terms. We saw Murray scrub his Instagram page of Cardinals content while the Cardinals were leaking disparaging reports about Murray’s work ethic. It was a whole thing.
Though Murray and the Cardinals were ultimately able to agree on a massive $230.5 million contract extension, it certainly seems like the Cardinals have some concerns about Murray’s preparation habits. So much so that the Cardinals actually put an “Independent Study” requirement into Murray’s contract.
A screenshot of the addendum hit Twitter on Monday, and we could see that the Cardinals are requiring Murray to spend at least four hours per game week preparing on his own time.
Contracts are about give-and-take. One example from #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract: There is an addendum that requires 4 hours of “independent study” per game week. It was important to the team making a commitment at that level, thus it was important to Murray. pic.twitter.com/VqrkvoBQLJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022
The contract even mentioned specific activities that wouldn’t qualify as independent study (TV, video games, internet use), which read like a not-so-subtle callout to Murray’s game-week preparation. After all, if Murray was consistently meeting that preparation standard on his own, you wouldn’t see the Cardinals specifically require it in his contract. They’d focus on other things like don’t play basketball or ride motorcycles.
Then again, the Cardinals investing a quarter-billion dollars in Murray while simultaneously requiring him in writing to do basic quarterback homework made for a strange juxtaposition. Why are you signing a player to one of the game’s biggest contracts if you’re *that* worried about him? I’m sure Steve Keim will hear that question pretty soon.
NFL fans understandably had plenty of thoughts about the addendum.
This was how Twitter reacted
Well, this is…unusual. No TV, video games, etc. while engaged in "independent study", the contract reads. That the team wanted that in writing is eyebrow-raising. https://t.co/ArdczJNqk3
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) July 25, 2022
Never seen this in 30 years of looking at NFL contracts.
Strange they’ll give him $46 million a year (on extension years) yet worry about 4 hours a week of studying. https://t.co/Crxc3jaJrM— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) July 25, 2022
Tell me you just extended a QB with professionalism/leadership problems without telling me https://t.co/kCNCOVLQrh
— Harrison Sanford (@HarrisonSanford) July 25, 2022
If this isn’t telling, I don’t know what is.
A team is making its star QB study on his own for 4 hours a week, will give him “credit” for it and said it can’t be done while he’s watching TV or playing video games. https://t.co/gZMVvVzt2D
— Josh Weinfuss (@joshweinfuss) July 25, 2022
If you have to babysit your Franchise QB, then he isn't a Franchise QB.
"Not allowed watching television, playing video games or browsing the internet."
Sounds like he wasn't watching film on his own and when he was well…
Hope they give Kyler Murray blank tapes https://t.co/rNahL05oa8
— Raiders Report Mitchell Renz (@MitchellRenz365) July 25, 2022
If you have to include a clause like this in a player's contract, maybe he's not a player you should give $160M guaranteed to? https://t.co/IBRxKGP5eM
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) July 25, 2022
Me as a kid Kyler Murray
🤝
No video games until we’re done our homework https://t.co/TPXirzNeNJ— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) July 25, 2022
I cannot believe they basically had to put "you can't play video games while we are studying film" into one of the richest contracts in sports history https://t.co/0zdhNoidKS
— Chris Hassel (@Hassel_Chris) July 25, 2022
$230.5 million as long as you do homework https://t.co/xWwDz17ApO
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) July 25, 2022
“Kyler must eat his vegetables before dessert” clause kicks in during the 2024 season https://t.co/PTv0NsXLdZ
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) July 25, 2022
His agents can spin it whatever way they’d like (like telling Rap “contracts are about give and take”) but have other franchise QBs needed this clause? Ever? https://t.co/cPbrLUkBI3
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) July 25, 2022
specifically says he can't play video games while studying 😂 https://t.co/6MdSet75Y6
— Hustle Chillson (@HustleChillson) July 25, 2022
