Sean Murphy-Bunting facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sean Murphy-Bunting

Murphy-Bunting in 2023
No. 23 – Arizona Cardinals
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1997-06-19) June 19, 1997 (age 28) Macomb, Michigan, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	Chippewa Valley (Clinton Township, Michigan)
College:	Central Michigan (2016–2018)
NFL Draft:	2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39
Career history
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019) Tennessee Titans (2023) Arizona Cardinals (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (LV) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2019) First-team All-MAC (2018)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 6, 2024
Total tackles: 267 Sacks: 1.0 Forced fumbles: 6 Fumble recoveries: 2 Pass deflections: 31 Interceptions: 9 Defensive touchdowns: 1
Player stats at PFR

Sean Murphy-Bunting (born June 19, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as a cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.

Early Life and High School Football

Sean Murphy-Bunting grew up in Macomb, Michigan. He went to Chippewa Valley High School where he played high school football.

College Football Career

Murphy-Bunting played for the Central Michigan Chippewas for three seasons. He became a starter in his second and third years. In his second year, he made five interceptions, which was the second-highest in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). In his third year, he had 37 tackles and two interceptions. He was also named to the First-team All-MAC. After this great season, he decided to enter the NFL Draft a year early.

Sean Murphy-Bunting's NFL Journey

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Sean Murphy-Bunting in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. He was the 39th player chosen overall. He was one of the first cornerbacks picked that year.

Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sean Murphy-Bunting signed a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May 2019. He worked hard during training camp to earn a spot on the team.

First Season: 2019

Sean Murphy-Bunting played his first professional game on September 8, 2019. He mostly played on special teams at first. On October 6, 2019, he got his first career interception against the New Orleans Saints. He started his first game as a nickelback in Week 6. Later in the season, he became a starting outside cornerback.

In Week 13, he made another important interception in the end zone against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On December 15, 2019, he had eight tackles and intercepted a pass, running it 70 yards for his first career touchdown. The next week, he got his first career sack and caused a fumble. He finished his first NFL season with 44 tackles, eight pass deflections, three interceptions, one touchdown, one sack, and one forced fumble. He played in all 16 games and started ten of them. He was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, which means he was one of the best new players that year.

Super Bowl Season: 2020

For the 2020 season, Sean Murphy-Bunting became a main starting cornerback. He even changed his jersey number to 23, like basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Murphy-Bunting (#23) playing in a playoff game.

In November 2020, he got his first interception of the season against the New York Giants. He finished the regular season with 70 tackles, one interception, and two passes defended.

2020 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl LV

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made it to the playoffs in 2020. Sean Murphy-Bunting played a big part in their success.

• In the Wild Card Round, he had an interception against the Washington Football Team.
• In the Divisional Round, he made another interception against the New Orleans Saints.
• In the NFC Championship Game, he intercepted a pass from star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, helping the Buccaneers win against the Green Bay Packers.

On February 7, 2021, Sean Murphy-Bunting started in Super Bowl LV. The Buccaneers won against the Kansas City Chiefs 31–9, and he earned his first Super Bowl Championship! He was the first player since Hall of Famer Ed Reed to have an interception in each of his first three playoff games.

2021 and 2022 Seasons

In the 2021 season, Sean Murphy-Bunting started as a main cornerback again. However, he got injured in the first game with a dislocated elbow and missed eight games. He returned later in the season and continued to play well.

In 2022, he competed for a starting spot but became a backup. In Week 4, he intercepted a pass from Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. He dealt with a quadriceps injury that made him miss some games. He finished his last season with the Buccaneers with 31 tackles and two interceptions.

Moving to the Tennessee Titans

On March 20, 2023, the Tennessee Titans signed Sean Murphy-Bunting to a one-year contract. He became the first player in Titans history to wear the jersey number 0.

2023 Season with the Titans

Sean Murphy-Bunting became a starting cornerback for the Titans. In the first game, he had six tackles and forced a fumble. The next week, he set a personal best with three pass deflections. He missed some games due to a thumb injury and a shoulder injury. In January 2024, he had eight tackles and intercepted a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his one season with the Titans, he recorded 57 tackles, eight pass deflections, and two interceptions.

Joining the Arizona Cardinals

On March 14, 2024, the Arizona Cardinals signed Sean Murphy-Bunting to a three-year contract. He became a top cornerback for the team, bringing his experience to a young group of players.

2024 Season with the Cardinals

Sean Murphy-Bunting started the season as a main cornerback for the Cardinals. In Week 3, he had seven tackles against the Detroit Lions. He missed some games due to a neck injury. On December 14, 2024, he made his first interception with the Cardinals against the New England Patriots.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are some of Sean Murphy-Bunting's statistics from his NFL career. These tables show how he has performed in regular season and playoff games.

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats