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Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer
GLENDALE, Arizona — Despite losing Sunday’s game to the Seattle Seahawks by just a point, despite finishing the season 4-13 and going 3-5 in his return from ACL surgery, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said this season was a “complete 180” from last season.
To him, experiencing that type of difference in the Cardinals has been “refreshing.”
“To have guys upstairs that believe in it and really speak to it and hold everybody accountable, it trickles down,” an effusive Murray said after Sunday’s 21-20 loss. “It starts at the top and I think every great organization, business, understands it starts at the top.
“And the guys really believe in what and what they’re preaching. So, I’m very confident in what we got going.”
The difference in Murray’s first four years with the Cardinals under former coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim to this year under new coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort has Murray feeling bullish about Arizona’s future.
“In a sense there is a lot to look forward to,” Murray said. “I’m excited about it. I know the guys are excited about it and trust and believe in Monti and J.G. and what they got going and what they’re building here.
“I’m happy, man. I’m happy in the position that we’re in. I look forward to going [into] next season.”
Murray said this year’s Cardinals were one of his favorite teams.
“There was a lot of adversity, a lot of ups and downs,” he said. “Never any complaining, never any pointing fingers, anything like that, never turned on each other. Just kept showing up to work every single day fighting for each other, going hard. And on Sundays, we left it all out there.”
After starting 1-8, the Cardinals finished 3-5 after Murray returned from ACL surgery in Week 10, nearly beating the Seahawks on Sunday and the Houston Texans in Murray’s second game back.
The quality of their wins was notable — three were against playoff teams.
Arizona’s lone win before Murray returned was over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, and then Murray led Arizona to wins over the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons. Overall, the Cardinals lost five games by a touchdown or less.
The tastes of success coupled with the season-long effort and his observation that the Cardinals’ team-first mentality never wavered left Gannon also feeling good about the future.
“I’ve never been more enthused going into an offseason in my life,” Gannon said. “So, they’re ready to come with me.”
Why was Gannon so enthused?
“Because I know what this can be,” he said. “A competitive, smart, tough team that’s playing meaningful games right now.”
Gannon said the Cardinals’ competitiveness, their attention to detail, their ability to stay connected and not blaming each other for the season led to him feeling confident about next season.
Those qualities, Gannon said, are “really rare” to have during a losing season.
“Every experience is a learning one,” Gannon said.
Sunday’s loss secured the fourth overall pick for the Cardinals, who have 13 picks in next year’s draft including two first-round picks and six in the first three rounds.
Arizona’s draft capital could be used to reshape a roster that’s in need of improving specific areas, and Murray said he’ll keep an eye on what’s happening this offseason.
“Am I curious? Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I’m curious, but I’m looking forward to it.”
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