Arizona Cardinals

It turns out Kyler Murray's deletion of all remnants of the Arizona Cardinals from his social media may have been meant to send a message after all.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported there is "acrimony" between Murray and the Cardinals, with the quarterback "frustrated" that he's been targeted as the "scapegoat" after Arizona's playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Behind the scenes, Murray has reportedly been described as "self-centered, immature and finger pointer."

The Cardinals later responded to Mortensen's report in a statement to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:

"We are excited to continue that improvement in 2022 and are excited that Kyler Murray is the quarterback leading us." (2 of 2)

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 13, 2022

Murray hinted at discord in his relationship with the Cardinals after wiping his social media clean after the 2022 Pro Bowl. All that remains on his Instagram are two posts: one from 2018 when he won the Heisman at Oklahoma and a photo dump from this year's Pro Bowl.

While athletes regularly make branding choices with their social media, it seems this was a deliberate move from Murray to send a message to the Cardinals. Arizona went 11-6 during the regular season to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015 but closed with losses in five of its last six games, including a 34-11 blowout loss to the Rams in the Wild Card Round.

Murray turned in one of the worst games of his professional career, throwing for 137 yards and two interceptions while rushing for only six yards on two carries. His QBR of 8.0 was the second-worst single-game effort of his career.

The overwhelming odds suggest the Cardinals and Murray will spend the offseason hashing out their differences. While he hasn't emerged as a transcendent quarterback, Murray has been a dynamic, steady starter for all three seasons in Arizona and doesn't turn 25 until August. 

The Cardinals have Murray under team control through the next two seasons under his rookie contract and could easily stretch that to at least four by using a pair of franchise tags. (Teams have historically avoided using a franchise tag three consecutive years because of the massive financial implications.)

That said, if relationships have reached the point of no return behind the scenes, don't be surprised if there are changes to the coaching staff or roster in an attempt to mend fences. 

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins commented this week on quarterback Kyler Murray's recent decision to remove all Cardinals-related photos and mentions from his Instagram page.

Speaking with SiriusXM NFL Radio's Rich Gannon and Bruce Murray (h/t SI.com's Donnie Druin), Hopkins joked: "The only thing I could think [is] he wants to show off some new outfits for this upcoming season, he didn't want you guys to look at the old ones."

Murray hasn't made any public comments regarding why he wiped his Instagram clean, and none of his teammates seem to know the meaning behind it either.

The Cardinals selected Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, causing him to spurn an MLB baseball career after signing a contract with the Oakland Athletics.

Murray is considered one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the NFL, and he helped the Cards reach the playoffs this season for the first time since 2015.

It was far from a perfect season for Murray and the Cardinals, though, as Murray missed three games with an ankle injury and wasn't as productive after returning.

Also, the Cards weren't very competitive in their NFC Wild Card Round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, losing 34-11.

Murray had an especially tough time in that game, going 19-of-34 for 137 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

One factor that worked against Murray during the 2021 season was the fact that Hopkins only appeared in 10 regular-season games because of injury. It was a huge loss since Hopkins was Murray's favorite target in 2020 and finished with 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns that season.

Murray still managed to earn his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2021, but it is fair to wonder if his actions on Instagram mean he wants to be traded or is perhaps even considering a return to baseball.

In what's often a telltale sign of trouble, Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray has unfollowed the Arizona Cardinals on Instagram and deleted all of his Cardinals-related content on the platform.

Arizona QB Kyler Murray has unfollowed the team & removed all Cardinals-related content from his Instagram.

The only recent content was a picture of himself at the Pro Bowl and a story re-share of a Mike Evans post that said "always wanted to catch a pass from the Texas legend." pic.twitter.com/ltcQTvJcPA

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 7, 2022

Murray is entering the final guaranteed year of his rookie contract. The Cardinals can trigger a fifth-year team option for 2023 before he'd hit free agency in 2024.

The reason behind his erasure of the Cardinals is unclear.

There haven't been any signs of strife between the team and the two-time Pro Bowler, nor is there any indication Arizona would be willing to entertain trade offers for its starting quarterback.

The franchise hasn't undergone any major changes behind the scenes that could hint at any source of frustration for Murray, either. Kliff Kingsbury is still the head coach, and quarterbacks coach Cam Turner hasn't gone anywhere.

The Cardinals went through a similar situation with Patrick Peterson.

In January 2019, Peterson reaffirmed his commitment to the organization after having requested a trade months earlier. Then that April, he appeared to communicate his frustration with Arizona through social media.

In the case of Peterson, he was a legend on the wrong end of the aging curve. The 31-year-old left as a free agent last offseason and signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

If there's any hint of discord with Murray, the Cardinals can't afford to sit on their hands and let the situation resolve itself.

The 24-year-old threw for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 423 yards and five scores in 14 starts. He was an integral figure in Arizona reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2015, an achievement that further cemented him as the long-term answer under center.

Perhaps this is all much ado about nothing. In the social media age, though, a firestorm of rumors and speculation can begin with just one click.

Having competed in five Pro Bowls himself, perhaps Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt has actually watched the game from afar.

The AFC and NFC faced off Sunday in the 2022 installment of the Pro Bowl, and Watt commented on the laid-back atmosphere of the contest:

I’ve seen walk-thrus more intense than this 😂#ProBowl

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) February 6, 2022

It's hard to argue with the veteran pass-rusher after watching this pick-six by Antoine Winfield Jr.:

Fake pitch! Pick-6!@AntoineWJr11 is just having fun out there.

📺: #ProBowl on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/Nmf6WcClQ3 pic.twitter.com/cJnKdyfdui

— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2022

All-Star showcases tend to unfold as such, with the players involved choosing not to overexert themselves. MLB and the NBA took steps in recent years to enliven their All-Star Games, such as awarding home-field advantage in the World Series and in the case of the NBA overhauling the structure of the scoring.

But the Pro Bowl will probably never be an accurate simulation of a game with real stakes. It comes at the end of the season, and the risk of injury is too high for the players to go full bore.

If you love plenty of offense and as little contact as possible, then the Pro Bowl is just for you.

Members of the Arizona Cardinals came to Kliff Kingsbury's defense after the team's second-half swoon led to some scrutiny of the head coach.

Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz called Kingsbury "one of the best offensive minds in this league" and said he has a quarterback in Kyler Murray who's "perfect for him and his system."

"I think you've seen the progress the past three years, going from three wins before he got here to five wins, to eight wins to 11 wins," Ertz said, per the Arizona Republic's Dana Scott. "He's so, so smart offensively, and I think he's just continuing to get better, from what I've heard, in terms of leadership and just managing this football team. Each and every year it's improved."

Jordan Hicks also discussed how much Kingsbury helped him when the arrival of first-round draft pick Zaven Collins threw his status as a starter into doubt.

"He's been really good for me through that whole process, so it's been a pleasure working for him and working with him," Hicks said. "He's a great coach. I love being around him, his intensity, his ability to lead. I've had nothing but awesome experiences with him."

Those endorsements might not matter much to fans who watched Arizona fade badly for the second year in a row.

The Cardinals were sitting at 10-2 following a Week 13 victory over the Chicago Bears. They proceeded to lose four of their final five regular-season games and were outclassed in a 34-11 NFC Wild Card Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The offense gained just 183 yards.

PICK-6. TO THE HOUSE. #RAMSHOUSE.

📺: #AZvsLAR on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/AlWNM7Zm1B

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2022

To quote Yogi Berra, it was deja vu all over again.

In 2020, an overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks improved Arizona's record to 5-2 and seemed to cement the team as a contender. Instead, the Cardinals finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

The trend extended to Kingsbury's time at Texas Tech. Scott noted the Red Raiders posted a 19-30 record in the second half of his six years at the helm.

Kliff Kingsbury's end to the season as a head coach...

Texas Tech:
• '13: lost 5 of 6
• '14: lost 4 of 6
• '15: lost 4 of 6
• '16: lost 6 of 8
• '17: lost 6 of 8
• '18: lost 5 of 5

Cardinals:
• '19: lost 7 of 9
• '20: lost 5 of 7
• ‘21: lost 5 of 6 pic.twitter.com/t7e0C1rWC7

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 18, 2022

At a certain point, it's fair to question whether something Kingsbury is doing is leading to this problem. Maybe his uptempo approach is unsustainable over an entire season.

"I'm not sure, I haven't done the research on that exactly."

- Kliff Kingsbury on his history of late season plummets throughout his coaching career.

We debated this topic on @phnx_cardinals after the game 👇

https://t.co/NtKbLvIBSI pic.twitter.com/1q5KeLQm4W

— Chierstin Susel (@ChierstinSusel) January 18, 2022

Considering he was under some pressure entering the 2021 season, qualifying for the playoffs might be enough for Kingsbury to stay on for 2022.

But the four-year contract he signed with Arizona is due to expire after next season. It seems unlikely the 42-year-old will get an extension now, so yet another slide in the final weeks might be enough justification for the Cardinals to let him walk this time next winter.

Zach Ertz will be a free agent this offseason, but he has a clear interest in returning to the Arizona Cardinals.

"I still feel like we have unfinished business as a team," Ertz told reporters Tuesday. "I would love to be a part of it. But that just might be out of my control."

The Cardinals finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, but they were eliminated with a 34-11 first-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Ertz was traded to Arizona in October after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

After a slow start to the season in six games with Philadelphia, Ertz emerged as a reliable target for Kyler Murray with the Cardinals. He finished with 56 catches for 574 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games after the trade, averaging 52.2 yards per game.

The veteran only averaged 31.1 yards per game with the Eagles prior to the deal.

Ertz was especially valuable down the stretch as Arizona dealt with injuries, catching at least five passes in six of the final seven games of the regular season.

The 31-year-old will hope this leads to a new deal as the Cardinals look to make a deeper run in 2022.

Ertz was one of the top tight ends in football during his prime, earning three straight Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019. He had at least 70 receptions and 800 yards in every season from 2015 to 2019.

An injury-plagued 2020 campaign took him out of the spotlight, but Ertz could be a hot commodity in the free-agent market after a strong second half of 2021.   

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker provided a positive update after he suffered a scary injury during Monday night's NFC Wild Card Round game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.

Baker tweeted:

Thank you all for the prayers. I am doing good 🙏🏾

— Budda Baker (@Buddabaker3) January 18, 2022

Baker later posted a video from the hospital saying he's going to make a full recovery:

"Everything came out clean. I'm gonna make a full recovery"

@buddabaker32 with an update from the hospital 🙏 @brgridiron https://t.co/hW3tpW2rBi

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

Baker was eventually released from the hospital Tuesday after being cleared by doctors, per the team:

Tuesday update on Budda Baker:
 
Budda stayed overnight at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for continued evaluation, imaging and testing.

He was cleared by the physicians there, released this morning and is on his way back to Arizona. pic.twitter.com/GIt1s8k24l

— Mark Dalton (@CardsMarkD) January 18, 2022

After colliding with Rams running back Cam Akers during the third quarter, Baker had to be stretchered off the field. According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, Baker was diagnosed with a concussion and never lost feeling in or use of his extremities.

The Rams went on to defeat the Cardinals 34-11, advancing to the NFC Divisional Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Akers said: "It was just a football play. It wasn't nothing personal. I've got the utmost respect for Budda and that team."

The 26-year-old Baker is widely regarded as one of the best safeties in football.

In his five-year career, he has been named a Pro Bowler in four seasons, and he is a two-time first-team All-Pro.

This season, Baker registered 98 tackles, a career-high three interceptions, seven passes defended and two sacks for a Cards team that went 11-6 and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

Baker was rewarded for his excellent play in 2020 when he signed a four-year, $59 million contract extension.

The Cardinals have Baker signed through 2023 with a club option for 2024, so the former University of Washington standout should be a key part of the Arizona defense for a long time to come.

Monday was Kyler Murray's first career playoff game, but the Arizona Cardinals quarterback has bigger goals following the 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

"I agree," he said during his postgame press conference when told J.J. Watt called the season a failure. "You know, I play to win the Super Bowl. That's the goal, that's the mission, is to win the Super Bowl. Not to make it to the playoffs or go to the second round, you know. The goal is to win the Super Bowl. We fell short of that. So yes, I'd agree."

Murray will be under the spotlight the next time he's in the playoffs considering he struggled during his first opportunity in the postseason.

He finished 19-of-34 passing for 137 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions while adding just six yards on the ground. Los Angeles' defense deserves plenty of credit for keeping him in the pocket and preventing him from making plays like he did with his legs throughout the season.

While one of the interceptions was a screen pass that hit James Conner in the hands and bounced to Marquise Copeland, the other one was 100 percent on Murray and all but iced the game in the second quarter.

He was backed up inside his own end zone and trying to avoid a safety when he just threw the ball up for grabs. David Long Jr. took full advantage and grabbed it for an easy pick-six that extended the Rams' lead to 21-0 after the ensuing extra point.

Los Angeles was never even threatened after that.

It was more of the same for a Cardinals team that collapsed down the stretch of the season. Arizona was once 7-0 and then 10-2 and right in the middle of the race for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

Then it lost four of its final five regular-season games and had to go on the road for its first playoff contest.

If the goal is the Super Bowl again next season, Murray and the Cardinals will be much better suited playing better down the stretch so they can earn home-field advantage come playoff time.             

Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt didn't mince words following Monday's 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round.

"It was a massive failure, from what we were capable of doing, to what we showed we can do, to today," he told reporters when describing the team's season. "There is no other way to describe it."

"It was a massive failure"

J.J. Watt on this season following loss to the Rams in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/GekMU3PGCe

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 18, 2022

It appeared as if Watt's season came to an early end when he suffered a shoulder injury in an Oct. 24 victory over the Houston Texans, but he worked his way back and took the field for the playoff contest.

He finished with three total tackles and one tackle for loss as the Arizona defense struggled to contain Matthew Stafford and Co.

Stafford accounted for three touchdowns and was sacked just once, Odell Beckham Jr. caught a touchdown and completed a 40-yard pass on a trick play, Cooper Kupp found the end zone, and Cam Akers was a factor both in the running game and the aerial attack.

Watt was surely frustrated, as a Super Bowl ring is about the only thing missing from a resume that includes three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, five All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowl nods and a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

It's hard to argue with his assessment, though. Arizona looked like arguably the best team in the league when it was 7-0 and then 10-2 before a late collapse cost it the NFC West title and the conference's No. 1 seed and only first-round bye.

Instead, the Cardinals lost four of their last five games and ended up as the No. 5 seed and on the road for the first round in the playoffs.

That proved costly, and the one-time Super Bowl contenders saw their season end before the divisional round.           

The Los Angeles Rams are headed to the second round of the playoffs for the third time in four years.

Los Angeles defeated the Arizona Cardinals 34-11 in Monday's NFC Wild Card Round matchup at SoFi Stadium. Matthew Stafford accounted for three touchdowns for the victors, who earned the most important win over their divisional rival after splitting their two regular-season games.

Kyler Murray got cooked by the Rams 😅 @brgridiron https://t.co/mbhfYpwaMf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

Kyler Murray struggled on the other side for the Cardinals, who remain without a playoff win since the 2015 campaign.

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Notable Player Stats

• Matthew Stafford, QB, LA: 13-of-17 passing for 202 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs; 6 carries for 22 yards, 1 TD
• Cooper Kupp, WR, LA: 5 catches for 61 yards, 1 TD
• Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LA: 4 catches for 54 yards, 1 TD; 1-of-1 passing for 40 yards
• Kyler Murray, QB, AZ: 19-of-34 passing for 137 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
• James Conner, RB, AZ: 4 carries for 19 yards, 1 TD; 1 catch for 5 yards

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Rams Roll to Stafford's 1st Career Playoff Win

The biggest storyline from Los Angeles' perspective was rather obvious considering Stafford was going for his first postseason win after losing all three of his playoff games with the Detroit Lions.

One way to put any nerves to rest is getting out to a quick start, and the Rams did just that while jumping out to a 21-0 halftime lead. While Stafford-to-Cooper Kupp has been the go-to connection all season, it was the supporting cast that shone the brightest with the Cardinals focusing so much attention on the No. 1 wideout.

Odell Beckham Jr. hauled in the opening touchdown on a fade route in the corner of the end zone and broke free multiple times, while Tyler Higbee found some openings underneath. Sony Michel and Cam Akers also found some running room, and Stafford scored the second touchdown with a quarterback sneak.

OBJ TOUCHDOWN.

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/q4W2rnZ5Ta

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

PLAYOFF OBJ IS HERE 😳

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/U3rb8pBsTt

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

Odell BOMB leads to a Rams TD 💪

They extend their lead to 28-0

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/UB6LNzJUx0

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 18, 2022

OBJ!!!!!!!!!! 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 18, 2022

There goes that man. @CooperKupp secures the TD to put the @RamsNFL up 28-0!

📺: #AZvsLAR on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/Egcjjujfc6

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2022

Throw in a dominant showing from the defense, and the home team was in full cruise control mode by the start of the second half.

Cruise control meant the Rams could have some fun, and they did just that with a trick play that saw Beckham complete a 40-yard pass to Akers. It also felt like just a matter of time before Kupp got involved, and the trick play set up his touchdown catch on a perfectly placed ball from Stafford.

The Rams didn't need No. 9 to make many throws with the way the game unfolded, but he looked perfectly comfortable when he unleashed another dime downfield to Van Jefferson to set up a field goal.

While upsetting the great Tom Brady in the next round may be a different story, Stafford was anything but overwhelmed by the moment. The Rams traded for him to win games like this, and they delivered in convincing fashion.

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Cardinals Can't Overcome Early Mistakes

Murray wasted little time announcing himself as a star after the Cardinals selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft, but Monday was the first opportunity of his career to play on a playoff stage.

It quickly turned into a nightmare.

The Cardinals finished the first quarter with minus-three total yards from scrimmage as they struggled to block Aaron Donald and Von Miller up front. Mistakes also proved costly, as A.J. Green dropped a pass and a trick play lateral from Christian Kirk to James Conner was ruled a forward pass and a penalty.

Things went from bad to worse when Murray just threw the ball up for grabs while trying to avoid a safety for what turned into the easiest pick-six David Long Jr. will have in his career. He also threw another pick when a screen pass bounced straight up off Conner's hands and into the waiting arms of Marquise Copeland.

OBJ has more passing yards than Kyler Murray 😬 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/ELJMQnQAp9

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

Rams' Defense at the half:

40 YDS Allowed
2 INT
1 TD pic.twitter.com/N1DhJZ5CPt

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 18, 2022

RAMS UP 21-0 AFTER THIS PICK-SIX

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/vg7ANdSxgf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 18, 2022

Everything's coming up Rams. #RamsHouse #SuperWildCard

📺: #AZvsLAR on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/69n0o5wMuU

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2022

James Conner is still a TD machine. #RedSea #SuperWildCard

📺: #AZvsLAR on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/ENUfTPnmq4

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2022

The Cardinals finally broke through with a touchdown on their first possession of the second half, but even that wasn't without its problems considering they were down 28-0 at the start of a drive that lasted 12 plays and more than six minutes. Murray scrambled for a fourth-down conversion to keep the long drive alive before Conner scored, but time was a real factor at that point.

It was the only bright spot for the visitors while the game was even somewhat up for grabs, and there were even bigger concerns than the game when Budda Baker was carted off the field.

Murray will surely have more postseason opportunities in the future, but the Cardinals were outplayed from the start and looked nothing like the team that started 10-2 before a late collapse that continued into the playoffs.

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What's Next?

The Rams advanced to the NFC Divisional Round where they will face the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.