Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s interesting offseason has resulted in a significant payday.

The Cardinals announced Thursday that they reached an agreement with Murray on a contract extension through the 2028 season worth $230.5 million with $160 million guaranteed. The Allen High School product’s $46.1 million annual salary is second among NFL quarterbacks behind only the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers.

Murray and the Cardinals have had a peculiar year.

The team started last season 7-0, with Murray considered a leading MVP candidate and the team a legitimate Super Bowl contender. However, Arizona collapsed in the second half of the season losing six of their final ten games, with Murray missing three games due to an ankle injury.

The Cardinals’ season ended with a 34-11 rout at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round. Murray threw for 137 yards, two interceptions, and had no touchdowns in the loss.

Afterward, Murray told reporters that he considered the season a “massive failure.”

Speculation around Murray’s relationship with his team intensified on February 6, when the quarterback removed any references to the Cardinals from his social media accounts and unfollowed the team.

A week later, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that the relationship between Murray and the Cardinals was in an ”odd place amid frustrations from both sides.”

Murray was embarrassed by the team’s playoff loss and late-season collapse, felt he was scapegoated for the loss, and was not pleased with the franchise’s direction, according to the report. Meanwhile, according to the report, some within the Cardinal’s organization had concerns that the quarterback was “self-centered, immature and someone who points fingers.”

Murray appeared to respond to the report on February 14, tweeting: “I play this game for the love of it, my teammates, everyone who has helped me get to this position that believed in me and to win championships. All of this nonsense is not what I’m about, never has been, never will be.

“Anyone who has ever stepped between those lines with me knows how hard I go. Love me or hate me, but I’m going to continue to grow and get better.”

Later in February, Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill went on record and expressed his desire to have Murray be the franchise’s long-term quarterback. Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, subsequently released a public statement saying Murray wanted a long-term extension with the team and had sent the Cardinals a contract proposal.

The quarterback’s desire for a contract extension has now been granted despite both sides’ rocky path.

Murray, 24, is entering his fourth season for the Cardinals after being the No.1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray won the 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year award and has made two Pro Bowls while establishing himself as one of the league’s most effective dual-threat quarterbacks.

Last season, he threw for 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns, and ten interceptions while completing 69.2% of his passes. He added 423 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground while going 9-5 as the team’s starter, missing three games due to injury.

Since Murray has been the Cardinals starting quarterback, the team has improved each season, going from 5-10-1 in his rookie year to 8-8 two years ago and 11-6 last season.

Expectations will be high in Arizona after the lucrative contract, as the team believes it is ready for Super Bowl contention.

Football fans in the Dallas area have been familiar with Murray long before his professional career began. He put himself on the map at Allen High School, where he finished his career as a starting quarterback with a perfect 42-0 record.

Murray spent one season at Texas A&M before transferring and starring at Oklahoma. Murray led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff and won the 2018 Heisman, throwing for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns in his award-winning season.