Giving it his all on-field and elevating his portfolio, K1 sits down with Boardroom to discuss his Call of Duty deal, vlogging, and bringing back the Diamond Turfs.
Kyler Murray has made a life out of defying convention.
Arriving at Oklahoma at the humble height of 5-foot-10 and weighing in at barely two bills, the two-time Texas Mr. Football left Norman with a Heisman Trophy and a $4.66 million signing bonus from the Oakland Athletics. Despite diamond dollars and slight size, the Arizona Cardinals didn’t bat an eye when picking Kyler as No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
In his sixth season, the national name of international descent has dodged defenders and critics alike, finding his footing in Phoenix as the Cardinals contend for playoff position. Navigating a wide-open division, the Korean-American quarterback is acutely aware of how much handling business on gameday sparks every opportunity outside of it.
“Winning cures all,” Murray told Boardroom. “I truly believe that. It goes onto off-the-field stuff as far as ventures and business moves. Winning helps all of that.”
Enjoying a rare day off, Kyler is currently combining work and play in the most literal yet unconventional way possible.
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Becoming a partner with Call of Duty — a deal that arose from fans trolling him online — his history with the franchise derives directly from an unlikely source: his grandfather. It’s a telling piece of an unlikely origin story that’s defined K1’s unique path that’s beginning to peak as a pro.
Speaking to the historically quiet quarterback about his noise-making start to the season, Boardroom connected with Kyler ahead of the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to hear how he’s finding his voice in business and beyond.
Battle Tested
Calling in from Phoenix, where temps touch the 100s even in October, Murray is cool as a fan.
The 27-year-old talent with more records in The Lone Star State than George Strait and Selena combined has navigated an amateur ascent of fable proportions to an NFL adjustment in the social media era. Playing a position where more first-round picks plummet than thrive, Murray’s become bred to balance the winning ways of his upbringing with the pressures of pro ball.
“Growing up in Texas? Sports is a way of life,” said Murray. “Putting in that time and buying into something bigger than you? I give credit to growing up in Texas and the culture around sports.”
While everything may be bigger in Texas, it’s not necessarily louder. Such is true of the undersized star who’s endured outside noise from critics questioning who he is or what he’s about.
“For the longest, I feel like people have misconstrued who I am as a person and as an athlete because I’ve always kept my head down, my mouth shut, and put the work first,” Murray said. “When you’re quiet in today’s age of social media, they feel like they can have a voice for you, and I had to deal with that during contract negotiations.”
Inking an extension in 2022 for $230 million, the lifelong winner who’s started every game as a pro has taken hits on the turf and on Twitter for making monumental money but only making the playoffs once.
“Coming to Arizona, it’s a different dynamic,” Murray said. “It’s taught me how to handle failure, and it’s been really good for me.”
Perhaps learning from loss is why the student of Bruce Lee was able to take it to the house twice against the defending NFC champs in early October, not sweating a huge halftime deficit yet also not afraid to celebrate a half-field touchdown run 40 yards away from the endzone. It’s that dynamic that makes Murray exciting on the field and more interesting than ever through his YouTube vlogs.
“Being able to have a voice and show my genuine, authentic self? That’s all I am, and it’s better late than never,” said Murray. “I think people are enjoying seeing that side of me and seeing what’s real.”
Already, the push of personality and reclaimed winning ways are playing out with the pigskin and through partnerships.
Franchise Player
Arizona has pledged allegiance to Kyler Murray, making him the face of their football program by way of a No. 1 selection, a major contract extension, and starting him every single game of his still blossoming career. Along the way, other billion-dollar brands have invested in his success, too.
Since going pro, Kyler has been a mainstay of Nike‘s football marketing, utilizing the electric and eclectic talent to test and push products meant for mass distribution. He’s donned Dunks in cleated form while receiving his own collaborative casual takes at retail. Most notably, he became the face and feet of Deion Sanders’ famed franchise of trainers and cleats long before the Colorado coach reunited with the Swoosh.
“To bring back the Diamond Turfs the way they did it in 2022? Now you see them all over the field,” said Murray. “It was an honor to be chosen as the first one to bring that back because I played football and baseball. Deion did it, Bo Jackson did it, and being able to be versatile in every area of life is big to me.”
From his fiery footwear to ice-cold Oakley visor, Murray has made a brand for himself by being distinctly drippy on the field. Look closely, and you’ll see Bruce Lee portraits printed on his thigh pads or asymmetrical eye-black adoring his game face. While it’s not normal for a historically corporate position and league, it’s most definitely by design.
“Growing up? You play Madden, you watch everybody on TV, you know what cleats guys wear and what swag they put on,” said Murray. “I was one of those kids who knew every accessory that everybody had on. I was always a big Nike guy, so to be a Nike athlete? It’s a dream come true for me. The way they’ve supported me and the way they’ve created a safe space for me to tell my story? I’m not a guy who toots my own horn, but I’ve done things that have never been done before. They’ve supported me every single step of the way.”
Though the Swoosh has bought in — a $122 billion brand that promotes Murray merchandise, jerseys, and cleats both online and at big-box brick and mortars — it’s another top-dollar dynasty that the Cardinals QB1 is looking to build with.
Activision Blizzard — the $74 billion behemoth behind Call of Duty — is now in business with Murray. Announcing a partnership through a clap-back Tweet and off-beat Replacer promo, it’s another example of Murray scoring in a provocative and prolonged fashion, perhaps previewing more to come.
“It’s been in the works for a long time,” said Murray. “Everybody knows I’ve been getting chirped about Call of Duty for a long time.”
“This Call of Duty partnership has been in the works for a while, and it’s a natural fit for Kyler,” Kyler Murray’s business manager Keion Alexander told Boardroom. “We aimed to craft an authentic story around his love for the game. This collaboration embodies the ideal blend of competitive spirit and gaming culture.”
Turning memes into moolah, the franchise with over 100 million active users now calls Murray a partner. Murray first connected with the video game as a way to relate to a relative of another generation and different trade.
“My grandpa was in the Army and the Navy for 30 years,” said Murray. “I wanted to understand his world, and Call of Duty was one of the first games I played to understand what he does. Obviously, it’s not the same, but it was something I could do to try to feel like I was somebody I looked up to.”
These days, Murray uses the childhood pastime as a way to stay close to his day ones and as a means of therapy during the grueling NFL grind. It keeps his competitive juices flowing with friends and fans from all over the world, though it might be a Phoenix neighbor who has the blueprint of how to blossom in the Warzone world.
A year ago, Call of Duty dropped a trailer with Suns shooting guard Devin Booker starring in their annual theatric campaign. Months later, both Book and his pup Haven were playable skins in the actual game.
“Book has his dog in there with the suit? That’s tough,” said Murray. “I’m big on Warzone. I might be able to get a skin in the game, that would be a huge deal if I’m able to do that. I’ve been thinking about it.”
If all goes as hoped for, in a matter of months, K1 will cross over from partner to player, perhaps appearing in Warzone with his signature tank top, headband, and eye black, entering the action as if he’s coming right off the practice field.
Until then, he’ll continue to try his best to win football games, build his foundation for Army veterans in need, and lean on both his business team and former teammate Larry Fitzgerald to grow both his brand and his resume of records.
“Kyler has faced scrutiny for his passion, and we’re committed to owning that narrative,” said Alexander. “Showcasing that gaming is not a distraction, but a true passion that fuels his drive.”
“My main focus is football and always will be, but we want to excel off the field,” said Murray. “We launched my foundation, and we’re continuing to build the brand. With this season? I’m excited about where we can go as a team that’ll grow with us off the field as well.”
With more wins on Sundays comes more time for Tuesdays to talk Call of Duty — whether with friends, media members, or even the bigwigs at Activision.
“I’m on calls,” said Murray. “They show me the previews and the trailers. From what I’ve seen and played so far? The game’s gonna be great.”
In typical Kyler Murray fashion, the quiet confidence and palpable excitement make one wonder if he’s talking about Warzone or his next NFL matchup.
