For Kyler Murray, the end of the Cardinals‘ season wasn’t just about the final score; it was about the dismissal of a coach he enjoyed fighting for. A day after the season ended, owner Michael Bidwill fired the head coach on January 5, prompting a farewell message from the quarterback.

“My guy, genuinely loved going to war with you. Appreciate who you are as a man and a coach. Warpath-,” Murray wrote in his emotional X post, with a photo of the QB-HC duo.

Murray has been a Gannon supporter since day one. In January 2024, after the head coach’s first season concluded with a disappointing 4-13 record, Murray expressed hope and claimed that Gannon had significantly changed the culture.

“Just to have guys upstairs that believe in it, really speak to it and hold everybody accountable,” Murray said in 2024. “It trickles down but it starts at the top and I think every great business organization understands it starts at the top.”

Even Bidwill echoed a similar sentiment, saying that the head coach “made them better.” But Murray’s support couldn’t hide the underperformance of two seasons. Gannon sparked hopes of a turnaround after the Cardinals missed the playoffs last year with an 8-9 record. But they lost 13 games this year, including a nine-game losing streak after Week 9. It forced the management to drop the axe.

Gannon’s 15-36 tenure was plagued by instability, much of it stemming from his quarterback’s health. The team went a disappointing 1-8 without Murray for the first nine games of 2023, and a similar story unfolded this season when a Week 5 injury sidelined him for 12 games, after which the Cardinals went 1-11.

This consistent underperformance meant Gannon never came close to contention, failing to even secure a second-place finish in the NFC West during his three-year stint. He originally signed a five-year contract, so they will have to pay him the money for the next two years as well.

After firing the head coach, the quarterback is on the hot seat now. He has played six seasons for the franchise but qualified for the playoffs only once.

Kyler Murray’s future with the Cardinals is in jeopardy

General manager Monti Ossenfort accompanied Bidwill in the press conference. He addressed questions about Murray’s future with the Cardinals.

“As it pertains to Kyler, Kyler is under contract,” Ossenfort said. “We just came off the last game of the year, and less than 24 hours ago, we just left the field. There will be a time and place for those discussions.”

Ossenfort and Bidwill have to consider the huge amount of money associated with Murray. He signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract in 2022, with $159.7 million guaranteed. If they cut him now, they will have to pay him $36.8 million. There’s a catch, too. Keeping him on the roster on the fifth day of 2026 will add $19.5 million from 2027.

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The Cardinals could release him before the next league year kicks in and split the $57.7 million across the next two years. If they trade Murray, they will save $35.3 million with a $17.9 million dead cap hit. But then, they will also have to find a long-term starter.

Murray’s injuries could also be a deciding factor. He has only played 30 games in the last three seasons, finishing with a 13-17 record.

Massive money is involved with their starter, but as Ossenfort said, “All options are on the table.” With the coach gone and the GM keeping all options open, the Cardinals are signaling a major franchise reset, leaving their $230 million quarterback’s future in Arizona more uncertain than ever.