Kyler Murray reportedly signed his rookie contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and to the surprise of no one, its better than baseball money
On Thursday the Arizona Cardinals announced the signing of their No. 1 overall draft pick, quarterback Kyler Murray.
The former Sooner quarterback, who is the first person to ever be drafted in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts, turned down his contract offer of $4.66 million by the Oakland Athletics last year in order to return to Oklahoma and play football.
During that season he threw for over 4,300 yards and 42 touchdowns, while taking the Sooners to 12-2 record and an appearance in the college football playoffs.
It’s fair to say that Murray’s gamble to return to school and the gridiron was a well-placed bet.
Murray went on the become the Heisman Trophy winner, was drafted No. 1 overall by a coach who is enamored with him, and today signed a contract for four years, $35 million fully guaranteed, a $23 million signing bonus and a fifth- year option, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport:
It’s fair to say that patience is a virtue and that fortune really does favor the bold.
Murray will get a chance to play for the engineer of one of the most prolific offenses in college football over the last few years in first-year NFL head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
He has an All-Pro running back in David Johnson, a Hall of Fame wide receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and will get to grow with another rookie, wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
Time will tell if Kyler Murray lives up the hype and billing of a number one draft pick — but at this point at least — he’s increased his value by 900 percent in less than 12 months and would be hard-pressed to complain about the way that life is going.
Between the weapons around him, the coach, and the money — one could assume that Murray is happy with his decision.