By ISABEL BALDWIN, US ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 13:49 EST, 5 March 2026 | Updated: 13:55 EST, 5 March 2026
NFL quarterback Kyler Murray could be handed a lifeline after it emerged earlier this week that he appears set to be axed by the Arizona Cardinals.
The signal caller, 28, is expected to be released by the Cardinals after the franchise seemingly failed to land a trade for him so far this offseason, according to multiple reports.
Murray is reportedly scheduled to be cut on March 11, when the 2026 league calendar officially begins.
However, not all hope is lost for the former No 1 overall NFL Draft pick, who could keep his sporting prospects alive with a drastic changeup.
As he faces free agency for the first time in his NFL career, the former Heisman Trophy winner could consider a change of sports and make a surprising return to baseball.
Murray, who played as an outfielder, was selected by the A's as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
NFL quarterback Kyler Murray is expected to be released by the Arizona Cardinals
The signal caller could make a return to baseball after having been drafted back in 2018
However, he ultimately opted to go back to the Oklahoma Sooners football team, winning the Heisman and getting taken as the top overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
While the decision ultimately ended his baseball career, the A's still hold Murray's MLB rights and are said to be keeping the door open, should he fail to land a new home in the NFL.
'Kyler is an elite NFL quarterback and I'm sure there are plenty of opportunities for him to continue his football career,' A's general manager David Forst told MLB.com.
'That said, he and his baseball representatives know that we're always open to him exploring a return to baseball with the A's if that time ever comes.'
Murray, a two-sport standout at Oklahoma, signed a $4.6 million contract with the A's after the 2018 draft. The deal allowed him to return to the Sooners to play college football with the understanding that he would join the MLB team the following year.
However, the following February, Murray released a statement announcing that he had changed his mind and that he would instead pursue football.
'Moving forward, I am firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback,' Murray wrote at the time.
'Football has been my love and passion my entire life. I was raised to play QB, and I very much look forward to dedicating 100 percent of myself to being the best QB possible and winning NFL championships.'
The 28-year-old was selected by the A's as the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft
Murray battled inconsistency and injury problems in the NFL in two of the last three seasons
Murray peaked as a junior when he batted .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
In the NFL, Murray won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 and was later given a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension.
However, he struggled under head coach Jonathan Gannon while battling injuries in 2023 and 2025.
Now, with Gannon fired and incoming head coach Mike LaFleur remaking the roster, the five-foot-10 signal caller is among the first out the door in Arizona.
Murray is still due $36.8 million this season, nearly all of which will be paid by the Cardinals. By waiving Murray before March 15, the Cardinals would avoid paying the quarterback another $19.5 million.
Now, another team can pick him up for the veteran's minimum, allowing Murray to find the perfect fit for himself without immediate financial considerations.
But finding a new home may not be so easy for the 28-year-old.
A foot injury limited Murray to just five games last season, of which the Cardinals won only two. The team had 'grown frustrated' with Murray, who has faced questions about his work ethic and quiet personality in Arizona, according to Fox Sports. And as one league source told Fox Sports, Murray's once-celebrated mobility is 'now shot.'
Potential destinations for Murray include the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets or even the Miami Dolphins, who are expected to move on from Tua Tagovailoa.