Choosing Nick Bosa over Kyler Murray ‘would have gotten me fired,’ ex-Cardinals GM says

The 2019 NFL Draft was revisited over the last week regarding the Arizona Cardinals selecting Kyler Murray over Nick Bosa as the No. 1 pick at the time.

Last week, former Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said the current San Francisco 49ers defensive end warned him and then-head coach Kliff Kingsbury about drafting Murray over him. Keim went a bit further Tuesday during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.”

“Well, Kyler got me an extension. Nick Bosa probably would have gotten me fired,” Keim said when asked whether he still would choose Murray over Bosa.

He added, “Well, your quarterback position is the guy who can propel your team the quickest. And he did that. Could Nick Bosa have gotten us to an 11-win team that year, two years ago?”

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Unfortunately, for Keim, he lost his job anyway after the 2022 season.

Arizona chose Murray in 2019 right after picking Josh Rosen in the first round in 2018 and supporting the former UCLA standout as Kingsbury took the reins. Murray improved from his rookie season to his sophomore season, earning himself a Pro Bowl selection. He would make the Pro Bowl again in 2021 and lead the Cardinals to the playoffs with an 11-6 record. It was their first playoff appearance since 2015.

Last year, the team tapered off and Murray tore his ACL toward the end of the year.

Bosa is a three-time Pro Bowler and earned an All-Pro selection in 2022. He was named the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year as he led the league with 18.5 sacks.

San Francisco has been on the brink of a Super Bowl appearance two straight seasons.