Drafting Kyler Murray: Inside The Cardinals' Game-Changing QB Swap

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Michael Bidwill: We decided – and this was something we felt like was really important because of all the speculation and the false reports – that Steve and I would just keep the decision quiet. We didn't line up those top three players on our draft board in the order we were actually going to take them. Steve told everybody in the war room, because of all the speculation, that they're up there alphabetically.


Erik Burkhardt: Steve was very poker-faced. He played it cool with me the whole time.


Even though Kingsbury stayed quiet during the evaluation process, his preference was always clear. He coached Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield at Texas Tech, but was never able to coax Murray to Lubbock. Now it was time for Bidwill and Keim to tell him the union would happen in the NFL.


Michael Bidwill: We were not in the draft room. I remember that. I don't remember if it was his office or Steve's office or mine, but he was very happy. He's not the most expressive guy sometimes, but he was pretty darn happy. He knew, OK, let's keep it cool, keep it between the three of us. But he was excited, and I remember he looked at me and said, 'I promise we're making the right decision.'


Steve Keim: He's a reserved guy, but don't kid yourself. It's like the kid that got the Xbox at Christmas. He got that new toy and he was ready to roll.


While the Cardinals believed Murray was fully dedicated to football, they needed it in writing. Keim contacted Burkhardt to finalize the deal.


Steve Keim: One of the benefits with having the first pick is you have the ability to negotiate the contract prior to the selection, which we did. We had an agreement in place, and there were some other things that would go into it – some of the language you wanted to have in there that protects you from him playing professional baseball, which was important to us.


Erik Burkhardt: I remember I was in Nashville when we hammered out the specifics, so I think it was a day or two before the draft. We worked out the language, and like, I represent the head coach, so I told Kevin, Kyler and his mom, 'We're good. It's done.' And Kevin is still like, 'It ain't never done, bro.' And it's true. Who knows if their phone rings and they get three first-rounders to go down one slot?


Kevin Murray: Burkhardt would say, 'I talked to Keim and blah, blah, we're going to Phoenix.' I said, 'Bruh, I'm from the Show-Me State. I'm from Missouri. Don't tell me. Show me.'


Kliff Kingsbury: We had a good feel for what we were going to do, but I really don't think Kyler believed he was being taken No. 1 until his name was called.


Kyler Murray: I wasn't going to be all-in until I got the phone call.


On April 23, Murray attended the festivities in Nashville with his family, decked out in a Great Gatsby-inspired three-piece suit. Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets and millions watched from home. Bidwill, Keim and Kingsbury sat inside the war room at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, preparing to share their selection with the world.

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