AP Photo/Matt York

Cardinals' Kyler Murray on Return to Baseball: 'If I Ever Had the Opportunity, Sure'

Paul Kasabian

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who was a two-sport star at Oklahoma, chose professional football over baseball before his current team selected him No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL draft.

Murray isn't about to ditch the gridiron for the diamond. However, he doesn't appear ready to completely shut the door on playing baseball again someday either.

Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official website spoke with Murray, who recently was featured on the front cover of Sports Illustrated due to his love of gaming and affiliation with FaZe Clan, a professional e-sports organization.

Via Urban:

"I still hold on to the three-sport title," Murray said, chuckling a few times because he knows the hornet's nest he kicks every time he broaches the baseball subject. "If the time came where I got to do what I wanted to do, which, I don't know, but I'm leaving it open. I think I can still play for sure, but we'll add the gaming on to that. Don't shortchange me, please."

"I know everybody around (the organization) probably feels different about it. But me personally, I played the game my whole life. If I ever had the opportunity, for sure, I would definitely go for it. What are we talking about? I'm sure anyone asking me about it would (take that opportunity) too. I'm not trying to start anything. I'm just talking."

As Urban noted, Murray's contract prohibits him from playing baseball, so he's not about to jump ship any time soon.

But the Oakland Athletics believed Murray was good enough to select him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft.

Murray stayed in school and dominated the gridiron in 2018, winning a Heisman Trophy for the College Football Playoff-bound Sooners. The Cardinals made him the first pick in the 2019 draft a few months later.

Murray appears to have made the right decision. He's accounted for 61 touchdowns (46 passing, 15 rushing) in two seasons.

Murray also won the Associated Press' Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2019 before earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2020.

Per Over the Cap, Murray inked a four-year, $35,158,644 contract before the 2019 season.

   

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