Byron Murphy facts for kids

Byron Murphy Jr. (born January 18, 1998) is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Washington Huskies.

Early Life and High School Football

Byron Murphy Jr. grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona. He went to Saguaro High School. There, he was a star player on both offense and defense. He played as a cornerback and a wide receiver.

In his final year of high school, he caught 88 passes for 1,733 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. On defense, he made 52 tackles and caught seven interceptions. After high school, Murphy decided to play college football at the University of Washington.

College Football Career

Byron Murphy started his college career at Washington in 2016. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his playing eligibility.

In 2017, he played in six games as a starter. He made 16 tackles and caught three interceptions. He missed some games that season due to an injury.

Murphy returned as a starter in 2018 and had a great year. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game. In that game, he made two interceptions, including one he returned 66 yards for a touchdown. After the 2018 season, Murphy decided to enter the 2019 NFL draft. This meant he would skip his last two years of college eligibility.

During his college career, Murphy played in 20 games. He made 74 tackles, had one sack, and caught six interceptions. He also scored one touchdown.

Becoming a Professional Player

Before the 2019 NFL Draft, many experts thought Byron Murphy was one of the best cornerbacks available. Some even ranked him as the top cornerback in the draft. They expected him to be picked in the first round.

Joining the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals picked Byron Murphy in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. He was the 33rd player chosen overall. He was the second cornerback selected in that draft.

First Season with the Cardinals (2019)

On May 9, 2019, Murphy signed a four-year contract with the Cardinals. He quickly became a starting cornerback for the team.

He played his first professional game on September 8, 2019. In that game, he made five tackles. Later in the season, on November 10, 2019, he got his first career interception. He caught a pass thrown by quarterback Jameis Winston. Murphy played in all 16 games that season, starting every one. He finished his rookie year with 78 tackles, ten pass deflections, and one interception.

Second Season (2020)

In 2020, Murphy took on a new role as the team's main "nickelback." This is a defensive player who covers slot receivers. He continued to be a starting cornerback alongside Patrick Peterson.

In Week 6, he recovered a fumble during a win against the Dallas Cowboys. The next week, he got his first career sack on quarterback Russell Wilson. Murphy played in 15 games that season, making 51 tackles, eight pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and two sacks.

Third Season (2021)

In 2021, Murphy became one of the main starting cornerbacks for the Cardinals. On September 26, 2021, he had an amazing game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He made two interceptions and scored his first career touchdown. He caught a deflected pass and ran it back 29 yards for the score. This performance earned him the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.

He finished the 2021 season with 64 tackles, one touchdown, and led the Cardinals with 12 pass deflections and four interceptions. He started 15 games that year.

Fourth Season (2022)

Murphy continued as a starting cornerback in 2022. In Week 2, he recovered a fumble and ran it back 69 yards for a game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Las Vegas Raiders. This was a very exciting play!

Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury later in the season. This injury caused him to miss the last seven games. He finished the season with 36 tackles, four pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries in nine games.

Moving to the Minnesota Vikings

First Season with the Vikings (2023)

On March 15, 2023, Byron Murphy signed a two-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. He joined the team to be a starting cornerback.

He quickly made an impact. On October 15, 2023, he got his first interception as a Viking. He sealed a win against the Chicago Bears by intercepting a pass in the final moments of the game. In Week 10, he got his third interception of the season. He missed the last three games due to a knee injury. He finished the season with 57 tackles, a career-high 13 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 14 games.

Second Season (2024)

Murphy continued to be a key player for the Vikings in 2024. He was named a starting cornerback and also played as the nickelback.

He had a fantastic season, showing his skill at intercepting passes. On November 10, 2024, he had his third interception in a row against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Week 13, he intercepted a pass from Kyler Murray. The following week, he set a new career high with his sixth interception of the season against the Atlanta Falcons.

He finished the 2024 season with 81 tackles, a career-high 14 pass deflections, and a career-high six interceptions. He started all 17 games. Because of his excellent performance, he was selected for the 2025 Pro Bowl, which is a huge honor for an NFL player.

Future with the Vikings (2025)

On March 10, 2025, the Minnesota Vikings re-signed Murphy to a new three-year contract extension. This shows how much the team values him and his skills.