NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon called the “independent study” clause recently removed from Cardinal QB Kyler Murray’s contract a “slap in the face to African-American quarterbacks.”
Speaking to TMZ Sports, Moon blasted Arizona for adding a clause that Moon believes reinforces a stereotype about black QBs.
“It’s something we were always accused of back in the day when they didn’t let us play,” Moon says. “That we were lazy, that we didn’t study, that we couldn’t be leaders, that we weren’t smart. So all those different things just kind of came to surface after we put all that stuff to bed over the years and just because of this deal that’s going on between Arizona and Kyler.
“So yeah, very embarrassing.”
After considerable uproar almost exclusively from the sports media and Kyler Murray himself, the Cardinals removed a clause from their star quarterback’s contract, which required him to complete four hours of “independent study” each week. In other words, the Cardinals were asking Murray to watch game film.
Contracts are about give-and-take. One example from #AZCardinals QB Kyler Murray’s $230.5M contract: There is an addendum that requires 4 hours of “independent study” per game week. It was important to the team making a commitment at that level, thus it was important to Murray. pic.twitter.com/VqrkvoBQLJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2022
The clause was inserted into the deal primarily because of the importance of film study, Murray’s own admission in the New York Times that he does not watch a lot of film, and, presumably, the team’s concern over his off-the-field mental preparation habits.
"I refuse to let my work ethic be in question."
🗣 @K1 pic.twitter.com/28TZD5AvSk
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) July 28, 2022
Shortly after Murray called the clause “disrespectful,” Arizona removed it from his contract.
Though, despite the removal of the clause, Moon believes it’s too late.
“The damage has been done,” the former QB explained. “He’ll have this riding on him every time he does something wrong in a football game. They’re going to say, ‘See, that’s the reason why that happened is because he didn’t study enough film last week,’ or whatever it might be.
“It’s a very unfortunate situation for him and very embarrassing for both sides.”
Murray’s “homework clause” is not a common feature in the contracts of NFL players – white or black. In fact, it was the first time many observers had ever even heard of such a requirement. Meaning, Murray’s homework clause is a function of his own admitted lousy study habits and has nothing to do with his race.
In 2022, a white quarterback who led one of the worst franchises in NFL history to their only meaningful season in 25 years got kicked to the curb in exchange for a black quarterback accused of dozens of acts of sexual misconduct.
And, to top it off, that historically feckless franchise gave said black quarterback the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history, knowing full well that he would likely miss at least half the season and could miss even more.
Of course, I am describing the saga of Baker Mayfield, Deshaun Watson, and the Cleveland Browns. So obviously the black quarterback is highly valued in today’s NFL.
Warren Moon knows all this. But, both TMZ and Warren Moon have bills to pay, and unfortunately, there’s not as much money in telling the truth.
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