Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has astonishingly been told he needs to grow up by his team-mate Kelvin Beachum after inking a lucrative new contract before the start of the season.
The 25-year-old signed a five-year contract worth $230million last summer, but his season was cut short after tearing his ACL during a game against the New England Patriots in week 14.
Ahead of his fourth season in the NFL, the Cardinals are expected to be more competitive than they've been in recent years. Murray has just one play-off appearance to his name - a blowout defeat to the LA Rams in which he threw just 19 completed passes and was sacked twice.
And Beachum, who is still Murray's team-mate for another week before he hits free agency has told the young quarterback that he has to grow up if he wants to lead the Cardinals successfully.
When asked what Murray has to do next year, Beachum simply responded: "Grow up. Be a man and grow up. It's not a completed process. I didn't say he lacks leadership, I just think he needs to grow up a little bit. I think if he has the ability and willingness to grow up, he's going to be just fine.
"They paid him for a reason, they paid him because of his talent. He has the ability to lead. When you're in that position, we need you to lead more. You're the face of the franchise ... you have to lead in every single capacity."
Murray was named as one of the Cardinals' captains last season, and Beachum believes the 25-year-old needs to do more to show his leadership abilities next season.
"Kyler is his own individual, he's his own person, he beats to his own drum, which has made him what he is today, But, at the end of the day, you have to be able to lead an entire organization, you've got to lead a team."
Murray is expected to return from his ACL injury in time for the new season, but it will likely be touch and go. He tore the ACL in December, and the 8-9 month recovery range means he could face a race against time to be fit in time.
