Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday that Kyler Murray’s ACL reconstruction surgery went well but that the starting quarterback “probably” won’t be ready for Week 1 of the 2023 season.
Murray, who was injured in the Cardinals’ Week 14 loss to New England on Dec. 12, also had his meniscus repaired in the surgery that took place in Dallas.
“I texted him yesterday, it went well. And so now starts rehab. I know he was excited to get it done and get moving forward,” Kingsbury told reporters on Wednesday.
Regardless, Kingsbury said Murray “probably” wouldn’t be ready for the start of next season. Murray opted to wait until after the holidays to have the surgery.
“He’s never been through this, obviously. But he’s excited,” Kingsbury said. “I think it can be kind of a reset for him. We know we had our struggles this year offensively and we feel like we can play at a much higher level and I think he understands that he can build himself back better and attack this thing. And I think that’s how he’s viewing it. It’s kind of a reset and where he takes it now, it’s kind of how what’s going to define his career.”
Kingsbury also said David Blough will start the season finale for the Cardinals, with Colt McCoy still in the concussion protocol.
Further, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (knee) will miss Sunday’s game against San Francisco but wideout Marquise Brown (wrist) is expected to play.
Sunday’s start will be the second for Blough this season, who took over for McCoy. Blough went 24-for-40 for 222 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss to Atlanta. Blough has yet to win a game in six career NFL starts, the other five coming for the Detroit Lions in 2019.
“Basically shutting him down,” Kingsbury said of McCoy, who could be QB1 to start the 2023 season.
Murray, 25, completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 2,368 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games this season. He also has rushed 67 times for 418 yards and three scores.
–Field Level Media