The Pittsburgh Steelers have landed their franchise quarterback. In a blockbuster trade that stunned the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals have sent Kyler Murray to the Steel City in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the Steelers desperate to end a seven-year playoff win drought and the Cardinals stuck in neutral, this move reshapes the AFC and NFC landscapes.
The Cardinals have spent years trying to build a contender around Murray, drafting dynamic playmakers like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride while locking up reliable running back James Conner with a recent extension. Yet, despite those efforts, Arizona’s 2024 season ended with a middling 8-9 record, missing the playoffs in a wide-open NFC West. Murray posted a respectable stat line—3,851 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 93.5 QB rating—but it marked just his third-best career year, leaving the Cardinals short of the postseason once again.
For Arizona, trading Murray signals a fresh start. Sean Labar of Sporting News argues that the Cardinals needed to move on from their two-time Pro Bowl QB to escape the treadmill of mediocrity. With Pittsburgh’s No. 21 overall pick in hand, Arizona can now target a top QB prospect like Cam Ward from Miami or Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, resetting the franchise with a cost-controlled rookie. Cardinals fans, Labar notes, had “no stomach” for another season of falling short with Murray under center.
Meanwhile, the Steelers gain a transformative talent. After losing Najee Harris to the Chargers and watching Justin Fields (potentially) sign with the Jets, Pittsburgh’s QB room had featured only Mason Rudolph—a capable backup but not a long-term answer. Murray, the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year, brings a dual-threat dynamism that could unlock the full potential of George Pickens, D.K. Metcalf, and a revamped offense featuring Jaylen Warren and Pat Freiermuth. Paired with a defense led by T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, Murray could be the spark Pittsburgh needs to compete with AFC heavyweights like the Chiefs and Bills.
This trade is a no-brainer for the Steelers, who’ve struggled to find a franchise QB since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. Murray’s creativity and mobility give Mike Tomlin a weapon he hasn’t had in years, potentially ending the team’s postseason woes. For Arizona, the No. 21 pick offers a chance to rebuild around a new signal-caller while shedding Murray’s hefty $49 million cap hit for 2025—a win-win scenario.
Neither team has commented officially, but the logic is hard to ignore. The Cardinals failed to get over the hump with Murray, and Steelers GM Omar Khan had the cap space (~$35-40 million) and draft capital to make this happen. With this blockbuster now a reality, both franchises are redefined—and Steelers Nation has a new reason to believe.
