When the Arizona Cardinals returned from their bye week to prepare for Monday’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, all eyes turned to one critical question: will star quarterback Kyler Murray take the field? His name surfaced on the team’s latest injury report, but the situation is layered with cautious optimism and lingering uncertainty as the team weighs its options.
Will Kyler Murray Be Ready for the Cowboys?
According to Thursday’s official injury report, Murray was listed as a limited participant in practice due to a foot injury. This update marks the first detailed information on his status since he missed practice time ahead of Week 7.
Despite the limited designation, head coach Jonathan Gannon offered a brief glimpse into the team’s mindset. Gannon explained that the key benchmark for Murray’s return is getting him “fully healthy to play.” When asked if the Cardinals are preparing their quarterback to start, he gave a short but telling answer: “Yeah.”
Murray was also limited in practice on Friday, and he is questionable for Week 9. Moreover, Jacoby Brissett “got the majority of snaps during the individual portion of drills,” which hints that he could start over Murray.
On Saturday, NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed that Murray will not play in Week 9, and Brissett will get another start.
“Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett will start Monday night vs. the Cowboys,” Schefter wrote on X. “Kyler Murray is making progress from his foot sprain, and could have a role Monday night, but Brissett will start.”
While that response has given fans hope, the bigger picture suggests that Arizona is still closely evaluating the situation. Before the bye, Murray missed two consecutive practices after injuring his foot in the loss to the Tennessee Titans. At the time, Gannon told reporters that the team was handling the issue “day by day.”
During the Titans game, Murray briefly exited after sustaining the injury but returned after missing only two snaps. Still, the problem was significant enough to sideline him during practices leading up to the Week 7 meeting with the Indianapolis Colts, a game he ultimately did not play in.
Brissett, who stepped in as relief against the Titans, will be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 9. A statistical comparison between the two quarterbacks underscores what each brings to the table. According to PFSN’s QB Impact metric, Brissett currently holds an 82.8 (B-) impact score, ranking 10th among NFL quarterbacks, while Murray’s 75.2 (C) ranks 18th.
In four games this season, Brissett has completed 64.2% of his passes and averaged 149.7 passing yards per game, with four touchdowns and one interception. In contrast, Murray has played five games, posting a 68.3% completion rate and averaging 192.4 yards per game, with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
However, Murray’s mobility continues to distinguish him. He has rushed for 173 yards and one touchdown, compared to Brissett’s 47 rushing yards with no scores. Still, Brissett’s net yards per attempt (nYPA) of 6.8 surpasses Murray’s 5.3, reflecting a steadier passing efficiency.
If Murray’s recovery stays on track, he could potentially play next week.
