PHX Reporter

The first time Kyler Murray met Jayden Daniels, it was a random encounter at a local mall. At that time, Murray did not recognize Daniels, who was then a quarterback at ASU. Murray only saw "this baby-faced tall kid."

Since then, the Cardinals quarterback has kept an eye on Daniels' journey from ASU to LSU, his rise to becoming a Heisman-winning QB, and his entry into the NFL. This Sunday, Daniels and his Washington Commanders will face off against the Cardinals.

Murray and Daniels share more than just their Heisman trophies and professional paths. Murray has also observed Daniels evolving under Kliff Kingsbury as his playcaller.

Kingsbury's return to Arizona for Sunday's game marks his first since being let go as Cardinals head coach in January 2023 after four seasons. During their time together starting in 2019, Murray won Offensive Rookie of the Year and led the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021.

However, various factors led to their separation. A fresh start seems to have benefitted both parties.

Daniels has been leading a Commanders offense that hasn't punted or turned over the ball in their last two games. This performance is why Kingsbury was hired by Washington coach Dan Quinn.

Meanwhile, Murray is also off to a good start this season. His performance against the Rams was on par with Daniels' game against the Bengals.

When asked if he could provide any insights on Kingsbury's offense to the Cardinals' defense, Murray responded with a blunt "no." He noted that Sunday wouldn't be their first meeting since the end of the 2022 season.

"I've seen him out and about," Murray said. "To be honest, I've done it before," he added. "I've competed against him before and many other coaches that I've been coached by. It doesn't really affect me. My goal is to go out and win the game."

Kingsbury and the Commanders are already in Arizona for practice before Sunday's game. Although Kingsbury won't meet with media until Friday, he stated in June that he aimed to make his work in Washington distinct from his time with the Cardinals.

"The one major thing I try to do is make sure this was Year One of the Commanders' offense, not Year Five of the Arizona Cardinals," Kingsbury said. "We did things (in Arizona) that we felt (Murray) could be really successful at and then tried to build and let (Murray) grow and us grow together."

The Commanders have started strong under Daniels' leadership with a 2-1 record so far this season. Jonathan Gannon continues restructuring efforts as Washington's head coach.

"I like Kliff," guard Will Hernandez said. "He gave me an opportunity and for that I'm thankful... It'll be great to see him."

Murray avoided discussing differences between Kingsbury's offense and current OC Drew Petzing's system but acknowledged they exist. Hernandez echoed this sentiment.

"They changed coaches for a reason," Hernandez said.

Gannon and Petzing have maintained communication with Murray even during his recovery from a knee injury, tailoring their scheme to fit him well.

"We knew we wanted to play with a certain scheme, but good coaches tailor fit their scheme to the quarterback and the people that you have," Gannon said. "I think Drew's done a good job of it."

Despite some challenges in recent games, Murray expressed confidence in his comfort within Petzing's system.

"I think through the first three games, I'm really encouraged where we're at," Murray said. "Obviously, we need to be better. We will get better."