TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray addressed his team a day before the season finale, a rare move for the introverted Arizona quarterback who is popular among his teammates but not necessarily outspoken.
The Cardinals star's message: Time is not in infinite supply.
That's especially true for Murray and coach Jonathan Gannon, who wrapped up their second season together with an 8-9 record thanks to Sunday's 47-24 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Arizona won four more games than it did last season.
But there's little doubt 2024 was a lost opportunity for the franchise, which was in good position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021 with a 6-4 record heading into a mid-November bye week. The Cardinals lost five of their last seven games to fade from the postseason picture.
“I feel like we’re on the right track,” Murray said Sunday. “It just comes down to — we’ve got to execute better. There was more to it, but as far as kind of the mishaps throughout the season. What seems like a little game back in October, means a lot. You let a couple slip and you look up at the end of the season and you’re two games away.”
The late-season failure puts pressure on Gannon and Murray to make the playoffs next fall. The 27-year-old Murray just wrapped up his sixth NFL season but has just one postseason appearance to show for it, and that was a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The two-time Pro Bowl selection has played well for most of his tenure but it's fair to wonder if the partnership with the Cardinals is going to amount to anything as far as postseason wins. His seventh year in the desert could be a make-or-break proposition for his future with the team, even though he's under contract through 2028.
Gannon has been unwavering in his support for his quarterback.
“He is a competitor and we’re going to go where he takes us,” Gannon said. “I know that.”
Obviously, there's more to the team than just Murray, and general manager Monti Ossenfort has made strides to lock up the Cardinals' nucleus for the next few years, including extensions for safety Budda Baker and running back James Conner. Combined with star tight end Trey McBride, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and a handful of promising young defensive players, there's reason to believe 2025 will be a good year.
But time is running short. Murray won't take long to rest, opting to get back to work.
“I don’t want to ever get too far away from the game just because this is my life," Murray said.
The Cardinals appear to have a star in McBride, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod after catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards. A second-round pick in 2022, McBride has improved in each of his three years.
“Obviously I’m very proud of myself but I just needed a chance,” McBride said. “Most importantly I’m happy to be healthy. For most of these guys, health is most important. We didn’t get to where we wanted to be so I’m not super proud of that, but I think we’re building the right things.”
Harrison, the No. 4 overall pick in last year's draft out of Ohio State, caught 62 passes for 885 yards and tied a franchise rookie record with eight receiving touchdowns.
The 22-year-old had lots of good moments, including a touchdown catch in each of the last two games. The team's final passing touchdown of the season was a 12-yard strike from Murray to Harrison, and the team hopes there will be plenty more of that in 2025.
“That was kind of the focus for me personally once we got eliminated (from the playoffs),” Murray said. “Come out here and let’s get our rhythm as far as in the air. He’s only going to get better and we’re only going to get better. I’m excited.”
Harrison has some things to work on. The rookie sometimes struggled against elite cornerbacks, particularly when trying to make the tough catches that a top receiver is expected to make. Gannon said a few weeks ago that he wanted Harrison to be more physical with defenders, and the receiver made strides in that area over the final two weeks.
Arizona's defense was expected to be a weakness, but that's not necessarily how things turned out. Coordinator Nick Rallis got quite a bit of production out of the group, which finished in the middle of the NFL pack in most major categories.
The secondary looks particularly solid with Baker, Thompson and young cornerbacks Garrett Williams and Max Melton.
Still, the Cardinals could use more talent, particularly on the defensive line. Look for Ossenfort to be active on the free agent market this offseason.
The Cardinals have the No. 16 overall pick in the NFL draft in April.
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