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And that’s why the Cardinals quarterback and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year said he vows to take a knee on game days to peacefully protest against racial injustice while calling for meaningful police reform.

“I’ll be kneeling,� Murray said during a video conference call from his home in the Dallas area. “I stand for what’s right. That’s the bottom line. I call it like I see it. What’s been going on is completely wrong. I’ll definitely be taking a knee.�

Murray addressed a variety of subjects during his half-hour interview session and much of it involved the ongoing protests that have swept across the country following the killing last month of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.

As one of the rising stars of the NFL, Murray was asked if he felt the call for action will result in real change.

“I hope so, first of all. I honestly do,� he said. “My generation, we’re so diverse in so many ways. … My parents’ generation grew up in segregated times and now it’s all coming together. I feel like it’s tough, but I do feel like we’ll see change. … There is a lot of hate in this world, but at the same time, what’s happening and what we’re seeing right now, it’s huge.

“I don’t condone the rioting and stuff like that, but the peaceful protests I think they’re amazing and I think that’s just the start of it. … It’s not enough to just not be racist. You’ve got to be anti-racist. You’ve got to hold everybody accountable. … I feel like we will have change, whether it takes years, I feel like we’re getting there. At least we’re making a step towards it.�

Murray said he’s been pulled over by police “a couple times� but didn’t want to get into the details of those traffic stops. He did say his older brother experienced some issues with police but he didn’t wish to expound upon those incidents, either.

Murray just knows racism is real and it must come to an end. Coming off a rookie season in which he became just the sixth quarterback and only the second first-year player to ever pass for 3,500 yards and rush for at least 500 more, he also knows it’s up to him to use his platform to help get the word out.

“Definitely. I feel like more now than ever, people can just say what they want to say,� he said. “Before what we saw with (Floyd’s) death, I feel like we had to beat around the bush and kind of just straddle the line and say the politically correct thing. Now, I feel we can hold everybody accountable and say what’s on your chest, say what’s on your mind.

“I think that’s the best thing for the world, to be honest. Now people realize the effect of everything that’s been going on in the Black communities. It’s been going on for hundreds of years. Everybody knows it, but it’s always been just kind of a deal we just looked past and acted like it wasn’t there. There’s always been this elephant in the room, but at the end of the day now, I feel like there is change coming.

“Me especially, I stand for what’s right. I always have, regardless of my skin color. If it’s right, it’s right. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. It’s not hard to see. What’s been happening is definitely wrong. So there’s no question of what I’ll be doing. As far as like kneeling and stuff like that, I’m with what’s right and I always will be.�

As far as football is concerned, Murray has read, heard and seen all the hype building up around the Cardinals heading into the 2020 season. Although he said he has never been one to “talk about what’s going to take place� and prefers to simply “go out there and perform,� he did say he knows how much better he and the team can be and has some big goals in mind because of that.

If it goes as well as many NFL pundits predict, Murray, who is among the early favorites to capture Most Valuable Player honors, could be at center stage of a potential championship parade.

“I live, breathe and eat football,â€� he said, “so me, personally, I can’t wait just to get out there with the guys, win games, and ultimately, you know, the goal is to win a Super Bowl and bring a Super Bowl back to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. That’s what I plan to do, and I know the guys plan to do that as well.â€�

The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out any and all on-field work together for NFL teams this offseason, but Murray doesn’t think that will ruin what the Cardinals are trying to build, saying, “I don’t see it hindering any progression or success that comes our way.�

“I feel like we’ve got a pretty tight group,� Murray said. “Guys trust each other, guys know each other, and are very familiar with each other. We’ve got a year in with these coaches, so I feel like really the sky is the limit. We were kind of hitting on all cylinders towards the end of the year, had a lot of close games throughout the season, but I think we really found ourselves.

“With the addition of a couple guys, obviously some good players to join us, I think like I said the sky’s the limit. If we were to capitalize on a couple plays here and there this past season, I think our (5-10-1) record would have been a little different. So, I’m excited to see what we do this season.�

One of the biggest additions this year was the trade with the Texans in March that allowed the Cardinals to acquire All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. It was and continues to be regarded as the biggest move of the entire offseason. Hopkins, 28, has only missed two regular-season games in seven NFL seasons and has averaged 90 receptions, 1,228 receiving yards and eight touchdowns per year.

Murray said he is “super excited� to get to play with Hopkins, even though he had lobbied for the Cardinals to select his former college teammate at Oklahoma, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, with the No.8 overall pick in this year’s draft and held out hope that they would.

“Yeah, I did. I was. I mean, hell, I play quarterback. Any quarterback, you can never have too many weapons,â€� he said. “Yeah, it is what it is. I don’t make decisions but like I said, with D-Hop, man, he’s arguably the best receiver in the game and I’m super excited to have him. I think everyone that is a part of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Cardinals should be. I’ll get to see him soon and we’ll get to work, but I’m super excited to get to play with him just because I know what type of player he is and what type of dog he is and what type of heart he has. I’m super excited.â€�

Limiting the offseason to only virtual team meetings was frustrating, Murray said, although he knows they managed to serve a helpful purpose. In between, he’s managed to stay in shape by working out four days a week and, with the help of his father, Kevin, a former college quarterback at Texas A&M, hold throwing sessions with several receivers who live or are from Texas.

Murray, though, admits he did a lot of cringing while watching game film from last season during the virtual study process.

“I learn football any type of way; it just kind of comes natural to me,� he said. “Whether we’re out on the field or watching it, I still got the points. Sometimes, it sucks watching it because we looked so bad at times and it was frustrating to watch. You’d just be like, ‘God, what was I doing?’ or ‘Why did I do this?’

“I think it’s all good. You’ve got to take the good with the bad. We’ll get in the field eventually so I’m not too worried about missing this offseason as far as the reps go, although I do think it would have helped. I know it definitely would have helped.�