Cardinals remove Kyler Murray’s film study addendum from $230.5m deal

The Arizona Cardinals trusted Kyler Murray’s football ability so much that they were comfortable giving the quarterback a contract that was worth nearly a quarter billion dollars.

Now – after an ample dose of embarrassment for the organization – the Cardinals have also decided they trust him to study.

The Cardinals announced Thursday that they’ve removed an addendum to Murray’s $230.5m, five-year contract that mandated at least four hours of “independent study” during game weeks.

“After seeing the distraction it created, we removed the addendum from the contract,” the team said Thursday in a statement. “It was clearly perceived in ways that were never intended. Our confidence in Kyler Murray is as high as it’s ever been and nothing demonstrates our belief in his ability to lead this team more than the commitment reflected in his contract.”

Earlier Thursday, Murray burst through the locker room door, marched up to the podium for an impromptu media session and declared that there have been no “shortcuts” to success during his football career, no matter what provisions the Cardinals included in his new contract.

It was a rare show of public emotion for Murray, who vociferously defended his football study habits a few days after the NFL Network reported the unique addendum. The two sides agreed to the contract on 21 July, making Murray one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks at $46.1m per season.

Murray is used to criticism about his game. That’s part of the territory. He’ll take heat for a bad throw, bad decision, bad body language or even his height at a listed 5ft 10in.

But his work ethic?

“To think I can accomplish everything I’ve accomplished in my career and not be a student of the game, and not have that passion