The Minnesota Vikings signed former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy, Jr. this off-season to bolster their cornerback room. In a recent media session with Vikings reporters, Murphy was quite candid about the difference in the quality of life between the two organizations.
“Last year, (was the) first time (of me) actually getting injured, he sitting out that many games, kind of brought me back to reality…I’m here, I’m doing all those things. (I’m) just happy to get away from that situation. Always thankful for that team, coming from there, but I’m just here now. Excited, and happy, this is just better for me. Everything is better”
Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated pointed out an interesting distinction between the two franchises: The conditions of their facility and overall confidence in the organization. The NFLPA released anonymously graded report cards to illustrate every team’s ability to accommodate the lives of their players.
The two organizations are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Arizona was graded 31st out of the 32 teams for their conditions. Minnesota ranked first. Their lowest grade was an A- for food and nutrition, which still ranked in the top ten.
As I studied the two report cards, there was one glaring difference between the two organizations. In Arizona, the players don’t have confidence that their owner, Michael Bidwill, will invest in the future of the facilities. A sentiment that I’m sure feels like a slap in the face to these players. On the contrary, Minnesota, and owner Zygi Wilf, has shown time and time again that they are willing to put their players in the best possible position to succeed. From getting rid of staff members that players have had negative experiences with to investing in the facilities to optimize player performance.
As Minnesota continues to rebuild this roster toward the future, these factors could be the difference in a free agent’s decision. Minnesota is becoming the standard when it comes to investing in its players. As a result, the players rewarded them with a 13-4 record and a fun 2022 regular season. Maybe their success in O’Connell’s first year could be seen as a testament to what can happen when players have confidence in the direction of an organization.
