WATCH: Christian Kirk gives vote of confidence to Kyler Murray
NFL wide receiver Christian Kirk has given Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray his vote of confidence, stating they are close friends and that he admires his leadership and the way that he treats his teammates.
This comes after media scrutiny over Murray's recent social media cleansing (where he removed all pictures related to the Cardinals) and a statement from his agent clarifying his actions and implying that he should be given a lucrative contract extension.
Kirk, who has played in Arizona with Murray since 2019, spoke to TMZ Sports about his relationship with the 2019 NFL Draft's first overall pick. He said:
"He's a great friend of mine and he's always treated me well and teammates around him well. Every time he steps on the field, he wants to win."
Christian Kirk tells TMZ Sports he believes Kyler Murray is a great leader, despite the recent reports about the Cardinals quarterback. tmz.com/2022/03/07/chr…
Murray, who had the highest completion percentage of his career in 2021 (69.2 percent), believes he is deserving of a contract extension and has made no secret of that after a post on social media regarding the subject. Kirk thinks he would be worthy of an extension if it does come to fruition. He said:
"Kyler's a special player - there's few people that can do what he does. I believe he deserves everything that he's earned and that he has coming."
The Cardinals' 34-11 NFC Wild Card defeat to the Los Angeles Rams back in January might well have been the last time we saw Murray and Kirk play together, with the latter set to hit the open market in free agency in the next few days.
Where will Christian Kirk play in 2022?
The NFL rumors have been circling. After being pictured with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on vacation recently, many believe Kirk could play in Buffalo when the 2022 season begins.
Guess Sam Darnold & Kyle Allen will be backing up Josh Allen after Christian Kirk joins the #Bills. https://t.co/pKXAa2A9Ik
The 2018 second-round pick has had an impressive season with the Cardinals, catching 77 passes for 982 yards and five touchdowns, but he refused to reveal his plans for next season as he heads into free agency with an open mind.
When asked if he could see himself as a teammate of Allen in Buffalo next season, he replied:
"Possibly. I'm just gonna let my team and the people that are helping me make decisions help me out and we'll see where it goes."
There's no doubt there will be interest from numerous teams for the wide receiver when free agency begins on March 14.