Byron Murphy

HONORS

• Pro Football Writers of America All-NFC (2024)
• 2024 Pro Bowl
• NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3, 2021).

CAREER NOTES

• Selected by the Cardinals in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Washington, where he was a college teammate of All-Pro S Budda Baker.
• Scored on a 59-yard fumble recovery in overtime against Las Vegas in Week 2 which was the longest OT fumble return TD in NFL history and the second walk-off fumble recovery for a TD in Cardinals history.
• Led the Cardinals in passes defensed twice (2019, 2021) through his first three NFL seasons.
• Had a career year in 2021, totaling 64 tackles, a team-high four INTs (one returned for a TD), a team-high 12 passes defensed, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. A Pro Bowl alternate, he was one of just 11 players in the NFL with 4+ INTs and 12+ passes defensed last season.
• Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Jacksonville in Week 3 (2021) when he recorded two INTs, returning one 29 yards for a TD to give Arizona a 24-19 lead in the third quarter.
• One of four rookie defenders to start all 16 games and played the fifth most defensive snaps (1,104) among NFL rookies in 2019. Joined QB Kyler Murray to form the league's only duo of first-year teammates to start all 16 games on opposite sides of the ball.
• Led the Cardinals with 10 passes defensed in 2019, which tied for third among NFL rookies and ranked third in franchise history by a first-year player.
• Grabbed his sixth interception of the 2024 season in Week 14 against Atlanta and become the first Vikings CB to record at least six interceptions in a season since Jimmy Hitchcock in 1998 (seven INTs). His six interceptions were a single-season career-high, beating his mark from 2021 with Arizona (four INTs).

HONORS

• Pro Football Writers of America All-NFC (2024)
• 2024 Pro Bowl
• NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 3, 2021).

CAREER NOTES

• Selected by the Cardinals in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Washington, where he was a college teammate of All-Pro S Budda Baker.
• Scored on a 59-yard fumble recovery in overtime against Las Vegas in Week 2 which was the longest OT fumble return TD in NFL history and the second walk-off fumble recovery for a TD in Cardinals history.
• Led the Cardinals in passes defensed twice (2019, 2021) through his first three NFL seasons.
• Had a career year in 2021, totaling 64 tackles, a team-high four INTs (one returned for a TD), a team-high 12 passes defensed, a half-sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. A Pro Bowl alternate, he was one of just 11 players in the NFL with 4+ INTs and 12+ passes defensed last season.
• Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Jacksonville in Week 3 (2021) when he recorded two INTs, returning one 29 yards for a TD to give Arizona a 24-19 lead in the third quarter.
• One of four rookie defenders to start all 16 games and played the fifth most defensive snaps (1,104) among NFL rookies in 2019. Joined QB Kyler Murray to form the league's only duo of first-year teammates to start all 16 games on opposite sides of the ball.
• Led the Cardinals with 10 passes defensed in 2019, which tied for third among NFL rookies and ranked third in franchise history by a first-year player.
• Grabbed his sixth interception of the 2024 season in Week 14 against Atlanta and become the first Vikings CB to record at least six interceptions in a season since Jimmy Hitchcock in 1998 (seven INTs). His six interceptions were a single-season career-high, beating his mark from 2021 with Arizona (four INTs).

2024 | MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Appeared in and started a career-high 17 games during the 2024 season, recording 81 tackles, including six for loss, a career-high six interceptions, 14 passes defensed and forced one fumble.
• Started his second career postseason contest during the Wild Card Round in Arizona against the L.A. Rams (1/13), recording three tackles, including one for loss.
• Had seven tackles, including one for loss, in Week 18 at Detroit (1/5).
• Tied his single-game career high with 10 tackles in Week 16 at Seattle (12/22) and had one pass defensed.
• Grabbed his sixth interception of the season against Atlanta in Week 14 (12/8) and become the first Vikings CB to record at least six interceptions in a season since Jimmy Hitchcock in 1998 (seven INTs). He also had three tackles and a pass defensed.
• Against his former team in Week 13 vs. Arizona (12/1), grabbed his fifth interception of the season, the most in a single season by a Vikings CB since Patrick Peterson had five in 2022. Also logged five tackles and three passes defensed.
• In Week 12 at Chicago, tallied the second-most tackles among Vikings defenders with eight, including a pair for loss.
• Logged five tackles, tied for the second most among all Vikings defenders, in Week 11 at Tennessee (11/17). One of his five tackles was for a loss.
• Recorded his third interception in as many games in Week 10 at Jacksonville (11/10). It marked his fourth interception this season, tying his single-season career high set in 2021.
• Tallied his third interception of the season and his second in as many games vs. Indianapolis on Sunday Night Football in Week 9 (11/3). He became the first Vikings DB with interceptions in consecutive games since he did it last year in Weeks 9-10 (at ATL and vs. NO).
• In Week 8 at the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football (10/24), grabbed his second interception of the season and 10th of his career when he picked off QB Matthew Stafford in the opening drive of the second half. He finished with four tackles, including one for loss, ad two passes defensed.
• Racked up five tackles and a pass defensed in Week 5 vs. the New York Jets in London (10/6).
• At Green Bay in Week 4 (9/29), racked up seven total tackles, one interception (ninth of his career), two passes defensed and forced a fumble. He became the first Viking to achieve this stat line since Darren Sharper in Week 2 of the 2007 season at Detroit.
• Had four tackles in both the Vikings home opener vs. San Francisco (9/15) and Week 3 matchup vs. Houston (9/22).
• Made his season debut in Week 1 at the New York Giants (9/8) and led all defenders with nine total tackles, including one for loss. Also recorded a pass defensed.

2023 | MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• Started all 14 games in which he has appeared for the Vikings in 2023, recording 57 tackles, including four for loss (career high), three interceptions, 13 passes defensed (career high), a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
• Inactive in Week 16 against Detroit (12/24), Week 17 against Green Bay (12/31) and Week 18 at Detroit (1/7) due to injury.
• Forced his first fumble of the season and the second of his career at Cincinnati in Week 15 (12/16). Also had six tackles, including one for loss.
• Recorded six tackles and a pass defensed against Chicago in Week 12 (11/27).
• Grabbed his third interception of the season and eighth of his career against New Orleans in Week 10 (11/12). He also had three tackles, including one for loss, and a trio of passes defensed.
• In Week 9 at Atlanta (11/5), tallied three tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and two passed defended.
• Collected his first interception of the season and first as a Vikings at Chicago (10/15).
• Logged a career-high 10 total tackles against the Chargers in Week 3.
• One of three Vikings defenders to play each of the team's 77 defensive snaps against the Eagles (9/14).
• Had two tackles and a pass defensed at Philadelphia.
• Started the season opener against Tampa Bay (9/10), recording six tackles.

2022 | ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Started in nine games and recorded 36 tackles (29 solo), three TFL, one QB hit, 0.5 sacks, four passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and a TD.
• Had a tackle and scored an overtime 59-yard TD on a fumble recovery for his second career NFL TD; his game-winning 59-yard score became the longest OT fumble return TD in NFL history and the second walk-off fumble recovery TD in Cardinals history.
• Started his fourth consecutive season opener while playing 100% of the snaps and recording four tackles vs. KC (9/11).

2021 | ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Started all 16 games he appeared in and led the team in INTs (four) and passes defensed (12) along with 64 tackles (49 solo), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one TD.
• Played a big role as the Cardinals ranked 7th in the NFL with 27 total takeaways, 7th in pass yards allowed/game (214.4) and 10th in offensive points allowed (20.5).
• Played every defensive snap and registered four tackles, two INTs (one returned for a TD) and two passes defensed at Jacksonville (9/26).
• Recorded the first multi-INT game of his career and scored his first career TD against Jacksonville and Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

2020 | ARIZONA CARDINALS

• Played 15 games (seven starts) and totaled 51 tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, eight passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.
• Had a career game with eight tackles, a tackle for loss, two passes defensed and his first career fumble recovery on Monday Night Football at Dallas (10/19).
• Had two tackles and his first career sack for a unit that held the NFL's top-ranked scoring offense to seven points in the second half and OT on Sunday Night Football vs. Sea (10/25);.

2019 | ARIZONA CARDINALS

• One of four NFL rookie defenders to start all 16 games.
• Played the fifth most defensive snaps (1,104) among all NFL players.
• Totaled 66 tackles, three tackles for loss, one INT and a team-high 10 passes defensed, which ranked third among NFL rookies and third in Cardinals franchise history by a rookie.
• Part of a defense that allowed season lows in points (13), TDs (one), first downs (13), third down conversions (one), total net yards (224), net passing yards (133) and completion percentage (51.6%) against the Seahawks (12/22).

COLLEGE - WASHINGTON

• Started all 20 games he played in his final two seasons (2017-18) with the Huskies and totaled 74 tackles, seven INTs (one returned for a TD), 27 passes defensed, seven tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles.
• Recorded 58 tackles, four INTs (one returned for a TD), four tackles for loss, 17 passes defensed and a forced fumble in 14 games (all starts), earning first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac 12 honors as a junior.
• Named the MVP of the Pac-12 Championship Game when he scored the game's only TD on a 66-yard INT return; also had another INT in the win over the Utes.
• Started all six games he played – the first three and the final three – missing seven games due to injury.
• Had two INTs in his debut against Rutgers and recorded an INT in the end zone during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.

PREP - MARCOS DE NIZA/SAGUARO (ARIZ.)

• Named to the Arizona Republic's All-Decade Team.
• As a senior in 2015, earned Arizona Division II Player of the Year and All-Arizona first-team from the Arizona Republic and was named to the MaxPreps.com Medium-Sized Schools All-America first-team and All-America (all levels) second team as a WR.
• One of four finalists for the Lockheed Martin Air Defender of the Year (top DB in the nation).
• Rated the No. 1 prospect in Arizona by the Arizona Republic.
• Helped lead the Sabercats to a 12-2 overall record and the Division II state championship as a senior.
• Invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and had an INT in the game.

OFF THE FIELD

• Standout on the basketball team in high school
• Has one son Malakai