With Kyler Murray poised to be released from the Arizona Cardinals barring a trade, some sports fans have realized that the Pro Bowl QB does have the option to play baseball if he doesn't want to keep playing football.
Way back in 2018, before Murray won the Heisman Trophy and became the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Athletics made him the No. 9 overall pick in the MLB Draft and even signed him to a contract. They still own his rights.
While the Athletics probably don't feel great about Murray snubbing them those years ago, General Manager David Forst said that the door is still open to him.
“Kyler is an elite NFL quarterback and I’m sure there are plenty of opportunities for him to continue his football career,” 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 and Baseball
Murray was widely considered a more elite baseball prospect than an NFL prospect prior to the 2018 college football season. During the 2018 baseball season, Murray batted .296 with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases for the Oklahoma Sooners.
Had Murray not gone on to have a Heisman Trophy caliber football season where he was responsible for over 50 touchdowns, he might not have been a first-round pick - let alone the top choice in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Even so, Murray made it clear after the football season that he intended to focus on that as his main sport and the Athletics drafted him anyway.
It certainly seemed to be the right choice for Murray. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, made the first of two Pro Bowls in 2020 and led the Arizona Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021.
That said, Murray's growth has stagnated over the last four seasons and his dedication to the sport itself has been thrown into doubt.
Should Murray consider making the move to baseball?
