Kyler Murray's Homework Clause

After Kyler Murray and the Cardinals agreed on a contract extension, I thought that would be the last time I talked about Kyler Murray’s contract extension. 

And holy crap, that was wrong. Because it is back again and it is uglier than ever.

The devil is in the details and in the details of this contract is a homework clause. You heard me, a homework clause. 

Like the kind of contract you draw up with your 12-year-old to make sure they do their biology project before they get any screen-time. And, wait for it, there really is a screen-time component of this.

The clause has the heading: "Independent Study Addendum between Arizona Cardinals and Kyler Murray."

And it reads: “Player shall complete at least four (4) hours of Independent Study (as defined below) each week (excluding any bye week) during each Playing Season (as defined below) during the term of the Contact."

In other words, do your homework, or we’re ripping your phone! Is that an NFL franchise talking to their franchise quarterback? Or me talking to my teenage son.  Because it sounds like the same exact conversation I’ve had 100 times with Rogan Lome. 

Yet, the Cards actually wrote into the contract that he needs to do four hours of film study each week. On top of what he’s already supposed to be doing. That’s an actual thing! That’s actually in his contract! Four hours. Less than 45 minutes per day. I’m not sure what’s worse – needing to put that into a franchise quarterback’s contract or actually putting that into a franchise quarterback’s contract. 

It's a given, I stuck my neck out for this guy for much of last season. Just as it’s a given, that the Cards are a huge jungle team: there is so much to like about that roster and that organization. But so much to NOT like about this story: it’s just a terrible look, for everyone involved. Terrible for Kyler that he’s not putting in the time necessary to be the guy. And terrible for the team that they just guaranteed 160 mill to a dude they don’t trust and who they have to force to study film. 

Even more ridiculous, I wonder what the negotiation regarding the film study involved: did the team try to mandate 8 hours a week, only to have Kyler’s agent counter with 2 and did they settle on four?. I mean, nothing should shock me at this point: but mandating that a professional athlete study film, shocks me: it’s ridiculous that you feel you have to put that into a contract; ridiculous that you are mandating that of a guy you just guaranteed $160 mill to.  I mean, what a terrible look for Murray. Is there also a make your bed clause? A pick up your room clause? 

And in case you’re wondering, film that Kyler watches during mandatory meetings don’t count. He can’t have a running clock during mandatory meetings and claim credit for that. He has to do the four hours on his own, with film that the team provides for him.

What a total lack of trust. This is Jamarcus Russell blank DVD territory. 

And as if that wasn’t humiliating enough, there really is a clause in the clause about screen time. 

"Player shall not receive any credit for Independent Study with respect to any time periods during which any material is displayed on an iPad or other electronic device if (a) Player is not personally studying or watching the material while it is being displayed or played or (b) Player is engaged in any other activity that may distract his attention (for example, watching television, playing video games or browsing the internet) while such material is being displayed or played."

Are you bleeping kidding me with that? It’s online traffic school. They’re going to be monitoring him to make sure he’s actually looking at the screen and doing what he’s supposed to be doing and not gaming, scrolling or porning during study time. And what happens if they catch him doing any of that? You know getting his phone and PS4 privileges ripped. 

And do not, for a second, come in here and say that this is normal. It’s not. This doesn’t happen. 

Just like I don’t want to hear that Murray already does this kind of film study and the Cardinals just wanted to get it in writing. The hell he does and the hell they did. 

You don’t put this into a contract if it’s already happening. You put it into a contract because it’s not happening. You put it into the contract as a way of getting out of the contract or parts of the contract if it doesn’t happen.  

Moreover, the guy actually admits he doesn’t watch a ton of film. Even worse is his explanation for why doesn’t.  It’s because he’s so sharp, he doesn’t need to: he said as much to the New York Times in December:

“I think I was blessed with the cognitive skills to just go out there and just see it before it happens. I’m not one of those guys that’s going to sit there and kill myself watching film. I don’t sit there for 24 hours and break down this team and that team and watch every game because, in my head, I see so much.”

Imagine thinking that you have the “cognitive skills” to not have to watch film and that you’re not going to “kill myself watching film.” Now imagine saying it out loud. To the New York Times. And doing it when you’re going to be negotiating a contract in a few months.

Of course this homework clause is a terrible look for Kyler. Just a brutal look for him. Especially when there have been questions about his leadership and his commitment in the past. It underlines all the worst questions about his leadership and commitment, and puts them in bold, in a legal document worth 230 mill.

Just an awful look for him. But don’t sleep on how terrible this looks for the team. You just agreed to a 230 million contract with a guy you don’t trust to do the work. You’re on the hook for crazy guaranteed jack for a guy you have to treat like a 12 year old. 

If you have that little confidence in your quarterback to do that part of his job, why are you giving him this contract? If you have that little trust in him, don’t pay him.

I’m not sure what Murray and the team were hoping to achieve with that clause, but all they really got was they made each other look terrible. I’ve never seen a 230 mill contract do this kind of damage to a guy’s reputation. 

As much as they might get from those four hours of film study, the damage they did by putting it into a contract cannot be undone.

Hope those four hours of homework every week are worth it, because your franchise quarterback looks like a child because that’s in there. And the franchise doesn’t look much better.