National Football League

Kyler Murray advised to 'grow up' by Cardinals teammate; Brown defends QB

Updated Mar. 10, 2023 2:41 p.m. ET

Former Cardinals offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum is set to become a free agent, and as he potentially leaves Arizona, he left a clear message for Kyler Murray.

"Grow up," Beachum said when asked what Murray needs to do in an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. "Be a man and grow up."

Beachum later clarified his comments to the Arizona Republic, telling the newspaper that "there wasn't any meaning or any malice behind [them]" and that he believes Murray is capable of being a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

"Last year, I said he's mature," Beachum told the Republic. "This year, I'm saying he needs to grow up. It's not that much of a difference. ... He's paid substantially, the highest paid player of a team. There's responsibilities and obligations and expectations that come with that. I'm excited to see him grow into that valuation."

Beachum's statements about Murray come after a season full of maturity and leadership questions surrounding the 25-year-old former No. 1 overall pick. When Murray signed his extension with the Cardinals prior to the start of the season, the team included an "independent study" clause that stated he must complete a certain amount of hours studying film without interruption from playing video games or using the internet.

The Cardinals eventually removed the clause, but questions about Murray's ability to be a leader remained throughout the 2022 season, as the team went 4-8 before the quarterback tore his ACL. Former Cardinals teammate Patrick Peterson also criticized Murray's persona, saying he "doesn't care about anybody but Kyler Murray" before walking back those comments.

Beachum stated some confidence in Murray's ability to grow as a leader, but recognized he still has to put in the work to get there.

"It's not a completed process," Beachum said. "I didn't say he lacks leadership, I just think he needs to grow up a little bit. I think if he has the ability and willingness to grow up, he's going to be just fine.

"They paid him for a reason. They paid him because of his talent. He has the ability to lead. When you're in that position, we need you to lead more. You're the face of the franchise. ... You have to lead in every single capacity."

Cardinals OT Kelvin Beachum says Kyler Murray needs 'be a man and grow up'

"Kyler is his own individual, he's his own person, he beats to his own drum, which has made him what he is today," Beachum added. "But, at the end of the day, you have to be able to lead an entire organization. You've got to lead a team."

Things didn't stop there.

Beachum's comments, along with Peterson's remark on Murray in 2022, were met with heat from Cardinals receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, who took to Twitter to defend Murray on Thursday.

At his introductory press conference in February, new Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said that Murray remains on schedule with his rehab. New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing also said recently that Murray's been "extremely engaged" in their dialogue so far.

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