Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is now in his second year on the job, and his familiarity with the job is not the only difference from last season.

Gannon’s first year in Arizona was complicated by the return of quarterback Kyler Murray from a torn ACL suffered during the 2023 season. Murray spent last summer rehabbing and didn’t make it back into the lineup until midway through the regular season.

This summer has been quieter for Murray, and Gannon said this week that it has been good for the quarterback to be able to focus on football.

“I think mental and physical standpointwhere he is now, to when he came back last year or even his last season, I think he’s miles ahead,” Gannon told Mad Dog Sports Radio’s Adam Schein. “What I know about the guy, my relationship with him when I got his job: His will to win is extremely high. And when you explain to him in detail and lay out what’s required of him to make himself, the offense and the team better, he’s 1,000 percent willing to do that. So, I like the guy because he’s done everything I’ve asked of him and more. He’s been a phenomenal leader on and off the field — not just with the offense, but with the entire team.”

Murray’s impact on the Cardinals was clear last season, as they went 3-5 in games he started after going 1-8 without him, so it’s easy to see why there are high hopes for what a full offseason will mean for the team’s fortunes in 2024.