The decision to play in the NFL instead of major league baseball has paid off for quarterback Kyler Murray. The No. 1 pick of this year’s draft by the Arizona Cardinals signed his rookie contract and is cashing in.
He became the first player to ever be drafted in the first round in baseball and football. The financial difference shows that football was the right choice.
Here is the comparison, courtesy of ESPN’s Field Yates:
According to Sports Illustrated, the Oakland Athletics offered him a total of $18.6 million in guaranteed money to play baseball.
Now he gets more than $23 million to sign and will get every cent of more than $35 million over four years. If the Cardinals exercise his fifth-year option, it will add a ton of money to that total in guarantees.
His decision to play football was not easy, and it wasn’t necessarily motivated by the money. He genuinely loves both but, based on his play last year, he has the potential to be special as a quarterback. Now he gets the opportunity to show it.
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