Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon met with reporters this week and made sure to speak about a wide range of topics from the NFL Draft to Arizona’s tampering of him following the NFC title game.
One of the issues he touched on was the relationship status of franchise quarterback Kyler Murray and right tackle Kelvin Beachum.
Earlier this offseason, offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, who helped protect the quarterback the past three seasons in Arizona, had a blunt assessment of what the two-time Pro Bowl QB needs to do to continue his development.
“Grow up. Be a man and grow up,” he told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
“I think if he has the ability and willingness to grow up, he’s gonna be just fine. They paid him for a reason. They paid him because of his talent. He has the ability to lead – it’s just when you’re in that position, we need you to lead more.”
If that wasn’t bad enough, he would go on to double down on what he said.
“I didn’t say it in a – I didn’t think it was in a malicious way but you know how it is. Free agency, you got some sound bites. … And I would love to see him do more, because he has the ability to do so and he has the keys to the franchise. He’s a leader in that regard. They paid him to be a leader, and I want to see that. So I would say the same thing to him that I’ve said publicly: Grow up, let’s find a way to galvanize and find a way to do this thing together.”
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Although Murray hasn’t publicly responded to him, coach Jonathan Gannon made sure to update reporters when he said the beef between them no longer exists after speaking with them both.
Questions about Murray’s maturity aren’t new. After he signed a contract extension last summer, word leaked that the deal included a study clause, which basically alluded to the QB wasn’t the most diligent preparer. That clause would later be taken out.
Murray, coming off an ACL tear, has a host of hurdles to overcome in the months ahead, from rehab to learning a new offense to rebuilding the trust of the locker room.
To further help out Murray, the team selected Paris Johnson Jr. as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is 6’6, 313 pounds, and with 36-inch arms. Murray reportedly gave his vote of approval for the team to get him.
