Kyler Murray's last rodeo
Kyler Murray really loves football.
I don’t know Murray personally, but you don’t have to to understand that now. That’s the only way to explain what he’s doing this fall.
Murray is reportedly closing in on a deal with the Oakland A’s that will guarantee him nearly $5 million as the ninth overall pick in this year’s Major League Baseball draft. Relevant to the interests of the Oklahoma football program, the deal allows the Texas high school legend one more fall on the gridiron.
In other words, Murray intends to jog out onto Owen Field on Sept. 2 wearing a crimson and cream football uniform with the number one emblazoned on the chest. As of now, the odds seem good that he will take the first snap of the season as QB of the Sooners, too.
Murray has nothing to gain financially from playing football in the fall. His professional future now lies on the diamond. There are no more leverage plays left to be made once he inks this deal with Oakland.
It does not compute if you look at major college football as the NFL’s minor leagues, but it sounds like Murray will play one more season for the Sooners because... he really wants to. Novel idea.
So Murray gets to have it all – the baseball money plus a final chance to live up to the hype that accompanied him as a five-star QB recruit. The Sooners should feel confident that he will give them the best he has to offer this fall.