Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray took aim at “trolls” as he announced his partnership with the iconic gaming franchise Call of Duty.
On Sunday, Murray led the Cardinals to a spectacular 24-23 win over the San Francisco 49ers in a crucial NFC West division clash. The former No. 1 overall NFL pick scored on a 50-yard rush early before tallying 195 yards on 19 of 30 passes along with a touchdown and interception apiece.
The win takes the Cardinals to a 2-3 record, and Murray celebrated the mega win by announcing his sensational deal with Call of Duty. On Monday, he took to X to post: “To the trolls who memed me into a bag, thank you! I’m officially launching my @CallofDuty partnership!”
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The partnership is a long-awaited endorsement deal given Murray is a renowned fan of the video game. Back in the 2022 offseason, Murray signed a five-year $230.5 million contract extension that included $160 million guaranteed – but one clause left fans perplexed.
The Cardinals had inserted an “independent study” clause to spend time each week studying film, something that’s already highly expected of NFL quarterbacks. While that clause was later removed, Murray fumed as his work ethic was questioned while fans took to social media to ridicule the quarterback, joking that he preferred to play and win at Call of Duty than on the football field.
Other fans even speculated that Murray played poorly during double XP weekends, with an amusing study discovering evidence that the 27-year-old genuinely performed worse during such weekends. Murray also previously appeared on a Sports Illustrated cover about gaming and the FaZe Clan, which only added to the jokes from fans.
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Following the announcement of his partnership with Call of Duty, it appears Murray is laughing along with fans now ahead of the release of Black Ops 6, which will be available on Oct. 25. It is unclear how much Murray stands to earn from the endorsement deal.
After signing his blockbuster contract extension, Murray tore his ACL and missed much of the 2023 season, returning to throw 10 touchdowns in eight games where he went 3-5. In 2024, Murray has completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 972 yards and seven touchdowns, along with two interceptions while his 66.4 QBR is sixth-best in the league. He also has 247 receiving yards.
Following back-to-back losses to the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders, the Cardinals needed a win to arrest the slide and generate some momentum. The win over the 49ers came as a surprise to many, leaving San Francisco – who reached the Super Bowl last season – with a losing record.
The victory also keeps the Cardinals competitive in the NFC West. Arizona takes on the 3-2 Green Bay Packers in their next game on Sunday, Oct. 13.
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