Study shows Call of Duty hampers Kyler Murray's on-field performance: Report

It is well known that Kyler Murray is a huge fan of video games, particularly the Call of Duty franchise. He plays live on the popular streaming platform Twitch, where he has amassed over 86K followers.

Call of Duty offers its players an incentive to play on certain weekends. They are rewarded with double experience points, enabling them to upgrade their characters. Players refer to them as double XP weekends.

Now, a genius on Reddit with the username took the time to compile and publish an analysis of Kyler's performances on the gridiron during double XP weekends.

The post suggested that the quarterback generally has a worse game statistically on such a weekend. It highlights the major areas where Murray's game takes a hit.

• His average passer rating goes from 97.43 to 86.65, taking a -7.77 hit on 2XP weekends.
• His average passing yards per game go from 251 to 245, showing a -6 yard difference.
• His average completion % also dips from 67.29 to 67.17.

But the most damaging fact for Murray is that his win loss ratio drops drastically from 0.529 to 0.360. These results have got to be eye-opening for the Arizona Cardinals. They recently signed the signal-caller to a massive $230.5 million extension.

In a similar analysis from a different user, they found that the quarterback's fantasy points per game were much more irregular. The relationship between the Call of Duty double XP weekends and Kyler Murray's performance is there for all to see.

What can we take from these Kyler Murray reports?

NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Arizona Cardinals v Los Angeles Rams

If these reports are to be taken seriously, it is no surprise that the Cardinals included a (now rescinded) clause in his new contract. The infamous homework clause compelled him to study game tape for four hours before every game without distraction.

As to whether this is all just a coincidence is another matter. The quarterback's Call of Duty habits need to be analyzed before drawing any conclusions. Without confirming the hours Kyler Murray spends playing the game over double XP weekends, these reports don't hold up. Comparisons need to be drawn between the hours he plays on normal weekends with double XP weekends, to see if there is an increase in his gaming hours.

Regadless, Kyler Murray will doubtless be displeased with all the attention he is receiving. On the back of the homework clause debacle, he is no doubt wanting to get on with practice. Murray enters his fourth season in the league this campaign. He made the playoffs for the first time in his career last season. The game was a 34-11 Wild Card round loss to the Los Angeles Rams, which proved as disappointing as it was humbling.

The Cardinals will be looking to improve on the 2021 campaign and make a deeper push into the playoffs. With regards to Kyler Murray's performances on double XP weekends, it will be interesting to see whether that correlation continues in the new season.