The NFC West will look different in 2026 as one of its rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, will no longer be in the division. On Tuesday afternoon, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Arizona Cardinals will waive quarterback Kyler Murray. This wasn’t a surprising move, one that many saw coming when he was given the “soft bench” this year.
He played in just five games with a foot injury, and despite reports that he was back, he was ultimately placed on injured reserve to end the season. By then, his time in the Valley of the Sun had reached sunset, which was an ominous sign. Now, Murray will be looking for his second NFL home.
The relationship between Murray and the Cardinals has always been contentious and a little strange. During his contract negotiations, the team infamously inserted a mandatory study time clause into his contract. They eventually dropped the provision due to public backlash.
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For Seahawks fans, they may be sad to see Murray leave the desert. Murray has a 2-9 career record against Seattle and is currently on an eight-game losing streak against the Seahawks. Arizona as a whole has struggled quite a bit against the Seahawks, losing to them in its past nine games in a row.
Overall, Murray finished his tenure with the Cardinals with a 38-48-1 record and only one playoff appearance — which he lost. Against the Seahawks, Murray passed for 2,631 yards, 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 11 games. Arizona’s decision to cut ties with their former No. 1 overall pick suggests they may spend another year rebuilding in the basement of the NFC West as they search for a quarterback at the next franchise level.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: NFC West Watch: Arizona Cardinals to release QB Kyler Murray
