Cardinals GM Brutally Ended the Oakland A’s By Comparing Kyler Murray’s Salary With MLB Side’s Active Payroll
After playing for Texas A&M, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray went on to play college football in Oklahoma, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a junior. The Cardinals made Murray their first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He became the first athlete to be taken in the first round in both sports in 2018, as the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball chose him ninth overall.
After breaking multiple rookie quarterback records for the Cardinals’ club in his first season, Murray was voted NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. His following two seasons saw him selected to back-to-back Pro Bowls and take the Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Cardinals revealed on Thursday that Murray has signed a five-year agreement with them worth $230.5 million ($160 million guaranteed) and $46.1 million per year in compensation.
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Cardinals GM Steve Keim compares Kyler Murray’s salary with Oakland Athletics’ payroll
Reporter asked if Kyler Murray’s baseball career is over.
Cardinals GM Steve Keim: Did you guys see the payroll of the Oakland A’s vs. Kyler’s contract? Enough said.
Brutal week for the A’s pic.twitter.com/Rn3rzqso3k
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 22, 2022
His baseball alternative helps put it into perspective by pointing us that the Oakland Athletics‘ whole active 2022 salary is $41.9 million. If Murray had decided to play baseball, he would either be earning far less on a last-place club or still be taking the bus to the lower leagues for baseball’s most frugal squad. As a Pro Bowl quarterback, he earns more than Oakland’s current salary.
Deshaun Watson's contract with the Browns: 5-years, $230M (fully guaranteed). $46M per year.
Kyler Murray's extension with the Cardinals: 5-years, $230.5M ($160M guaranteed). $46.1M per year.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 21, 2022
The topic was indeed up for discussion at the time. NFL quarterbacks’ careers are often shorter and physically taxing. Baseball contracts don’t have complete guarantees like those in the NFL, but great NFL quarterbacks are world-renowned athletes.
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