By DAVID BRANDT
AP Sports Writer
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was carted off the field during the team’s first offensive drive after a knee injury Monday night in Arizona’s game against the New England Patriots.
The fourth-year quarterback was flushed out of the pocket on the third play of the game and ran to his right. He tried to juke past a Patriots defender, but instead fell to the grass in obvious pain.
The Cardinals confirmed the knee injury and said the quarterback would not return.
“It’s tough,” Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told “Monday Night Football” at the end of the first quarter. “He’ll be out the rest of the game. That’s all I know right now. You hate to see that.”
Players from both teams surrounded Murray before he was carted off the field. Backup Colt McCoy entered the game in Murray’s place. The 36-year-old McCoy had a 1-1 record as the team’s quarterback when Murray was out for two games last month.
Murray is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Oklahoma. The 25-year-old signed a $230.5 million contract during the offseason that could keep him with the franchise until 2028.
Murray was playing in his 11th game this season. Coming into Monday’s game, he had thrown for 2,359 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The Cardinals have been plagued by injuries this season, particularly on the offense. They’re missing four of their starting offensive linemen and lost tight end Zach Ertz for the season, also because of a knee injury.
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