For years, when the Arizona Cardinals were getting ready for their first preseason game, starting quarterback Carson Palmer would comment on how he was looking forward to getting the first hits and knockdowns out of the way.
After all, quarterbacks don’t ever get hit in practice, so he welcomed the contact to knock the rust and prepare his body for what was coming during the season.
Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray does not think the same way.
When a reporter asked Murray about if there is any part of him that looks forward to getting hit, the rookie laughed for nearly 10 seconds before responding, “I hope I don’t get hit.”
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said last weekend that, while some quarterbacks did feel like they needed to get knocked down a couple of times. he didn’t think Murray wanted to get hit.
Murray knows it is part of the game. “It’s football,” he said. “If I get hit, I get hit.”
That doesn’t mean he has to like it.
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