TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, coach Kliff Kingsbury said Tuesday afternoon.
Murray went down in Monday night’s 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots after a 3-yard run on the third play of the game. He was carted off the field and did not return. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the injury.
“That’s obviously unfortunate and tough to see,” Kingsbury said. “And talking to him last night, um, yeah, it was a tough night.”
Murray was “very disappointed” when Kingsbury talked to him Monday night.
“He’s as competitive as anybody I’ve ever been around,” Kingsbury said. “So, he wanted to finish the season strong, and we’d faced a lot of adversity so far this season and we’re looking forward to this last month and trying to really build going into next year. So, definitely disappointed.”
Murray will get additional opinions and tests done on his knee, said Kingsbury, who expects to get a final report on the scope of the damage on Wednesday. However, Kingsbury said the Cardinals haven’t discussed a timeframe for Murray’s return. Kingsbury did point out that return timetables vary from player to player. Nor have the Cardinals discussed where Murray’s rehab will take place, either in Arizona or in Dallas, and who will oversee it, the Cardinals’ medical staff or Murray’s own doctors and trainers.
“That’s an interesting question,” Kingsbury said. “I’m sure whoever it’s with, it’ll be done well, and he wants to come back, talking last night, bigger, stronger, faster than ever.
“And I think Joe Burrow and what he’s been able to do coming back from his [ACL injury] is encouraging for Kyler. And, so, he’s definitely up for the challenge talking to him last night.”
During their conversation after the game Monday, Kingsbury said he wanted Murray to know how much he was appreciated and that “we’ll get through this thing.”
“He’s never been through this type of serious injury and so it’ll be a new challenge for him,” Kingsbury said.
Suffering a season-ending injury with four games left was the latest in a roller-coaster year for Murray. Between Murray’s contract dominating headlines during the offseason and into training camp with the revelation of the independent study clause that was eventually taken out, to him dealing with a wrist injury and COVID-19 in training camp, to a hamstring injury that caused him to miss two games, Murray has dealt with a lot in 2022.
“A difficult year, obviously, from the beginning with not doing much in training camp with the wrist and then COVID and then having a tough stretch, offensively not playing as well as we thought we could,” Kingsbury said. “And I really thought against the Chargers our rhythm was a little bit better and was excited about this last five games.
“And, so, to not be able to kind of build off that was disappointing and just tough for all parties involved.”
Murray wasn’t the only Cardinals quarterback to have an MRI on Tuesday.
Backup QB Colt McCoy underwent testing for a head injury, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The source said results were encouraging and McCoy is expected to be able to start Sunday in Denver.
Kingsbury said during his news conference that McCoy appeared to come out of the game healthy.
“He took some shots there late, but seemed like he was in good, good shape today,” Kingsbury said.
Arizona will likely be without defensive lineman Zach Allen, who has a hand injury, Kingsbury said, on Sunday against the Broncos.