ESPN: DeMarco Murray tells of move from Cowboys to Eagles

Cotton

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DeMarco Murray tells of move from Cowboys to Eagles

Phil Sheridan, ESPN Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA -- DeMarco Murray turned in his career-best, NFL-leading 2014 season with the strong sense that it would be his last with the Dallas Cowboys.

Murray appeared Thursday night on ESPN's Face to Face with Hannah Storm. The taped interview offered insights into Murray's departure from Dallas and arrival in Philadelphia.

"Training camp, there were some discussions with my agents and the Cowboys," Murray told Storm. "And they weren't going too well. There was a point where I was like, you know what, I'm done negotiating. I want to focus on the season."

Murray did just that, leading the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards. He was driven by the tenor of his negotiations with the Cowboys and also the opportunity presented by impending free agency. The Philadelphia Eagles pounced quickly, offering Murray a five-year, $40-million deal with $21 million guaranteed.

Chip Kelly called Murray to find out if he was interested in coming to Philadelphia.

"It was awesome," Murray said. "Playing in the same division the last few years, I knew a lot about him. I knew what type of offense he ran. I knew he was a smart head coach. He talked about the sports science aspect. He talked about Sam."

That would be Sam Bradford, the quarterback for which Kelly had just traded. Bradford and Murray had been teammates and roommates at Oklahoma.

"Let's get the deal done," Murray said. "Whatever it takes, let's join this team."

And so the Eagles were able to take the NFL's leading rusher away from their biggest rival.

"It was a little bittersweet," Murray said. "I wasn't going there to check the facilities out and hang out and scare the Cowboys. Once I gave them my word I was coming down there [to Philadelphia], I was signing."

Murray did, and the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry was that much more intense. The two teams meet next in Philadelphia in the second game of the 2015 season.

"It will be strange, I'm sure, and emotions will be high," Murray said. "It will be a heck of a game."
 

Smitty

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I hope you break both your legs into 6 pieces, asshole.
 

townsend

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I'm happy for him. Glad he made his payday. Glad it wasn't with us. Glad Philly will have a broke down RB taking up cap room.
 

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I'm happy for him. Glad he made his payday. Glad it wasn't with us. Glad Philly will have a broke down RB taking up cap room.
Yeah I hated to see him go but business is business.
 

UncleMilti

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I hated to see Murray go on one hand...happy as hell on the other.

He's already having trouble getting on the field in training camp, and the way Chip runs his stable of backs, I don't know if Murray will be on the field long enough to get in a groove. Murray is better the longer he is on the field.
 

Texas Ace

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I have no issues with Murray.

I don't care for how sensitive and immature he was during the negotiation process, but the money was significantly higher and I don't blame him for taking it.

With that said, he plays for a hated rival so I hope he has the worst season of his career.
 

Simpleton

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The Eagles really must feel like they got one over on us, which is completely comical to me. 3 years from now when this guy is pushing 30 and on his way out of the league this will all be a footnote, meanwhile guys that we extended (or will extend in the near future) with the money we saved like Beasley, Crawford, Dez and Frederick will still be in the primes of their careers.
 

ravidubey

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No issues with Murray at all. I don't think re-signing him long term was a good move for Dallas, but if there was some magical way to have kept him for 2015 I'd have loved it.

Dallas needed to draft a blue chip RB, that's all there is to it. They need to draft high, two years later draft low, then repeat the cycle.
 

townsend

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No issues with Murray at all. I don't think re-signing him long term was a good move for Dallas, but if there was some magical way to have kept him for 2015 I'd have loved it.

Dallas needed to draft a blue chip RB, that's all there is to it. They need to draft high, two years later draft low, then repeat the cycle.
I dunno if blue chip RB is a need. Not a frequent staple of Super Bowl teams.

QB, OL, DL, DB seem to be where Super Bowl champs pick their blue chips.
 

Cowboysrock55

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No issues with Murray at all. I don't think re-signing him long term was a good move for Dallas, but if there was some magical way to have kept him for 2015 I'd have loved it.

Dallas needed to draft a blue chip RB, that's all there is to it. They need to draft high, two years later draft low, then repeat the cycle.
I can't wait until Randle out rushes Gurley this year. Blue chip RB my ass. You know who wasn't a blue chip RB when we got him? Murray wasn't.
 

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Cotton

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:lol
 

L.T. Fan

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I can't wait until Randle out rushes Gurley this year. Blue chip RB my ass. You know who wasn't a blue chip RB when we got him? Murray wasn't.
He wasn't blue chip labeled but he has always been a very good running back.
 

Cowboysrock55

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He wasn't blue chip labeled but he has always been a very good running back.
Sure but even when we took him in the third round no one was excited that we got a steal. At best people thought he was drafted in the round he was projected. Some thought he was picked a little too high. Most thought he was another injury problem waiting to happen.
 

L.T. Fan

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Sure but even when we took him in the third round no one was excited that we got a steal. At best people thought he was drafted in the round he was projected. Some thought he was picked a little too high. Most thought he was another injury problem waiting to happen.
Yeah I remember all that and I also remember trying to convince everyone he was a legitimate pick in the third round. I saw every play he made in college and I had that as an edge while everyone else was reading and listening to the pundits and draft gurus for their information.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Yeah I remember all that and I also remember trying to convince everyone he was a legitimate pick in the third round. I saw every play he made in college and I had that as an edge while everyone else was reading and listening to the pundits and draft gurus for their information.
Not saying the guy was a schlub but he wasn't a blue chip prospect by any means. Teams that want to build there running game by drafting a blue chip RB usually end up horribly disappointed.
 

L.T. Fan

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I already said he wasn't rated as a blue chip prospect for the pros by the experts but he was for college. He followed Adrian Petersen and that was a tough act. The experts just didn't pay attention to him because of the Petersen comparison.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I already said he wasn't rated as a blue chip prospect for the pros by the experts but he was for college. He followed Adrian Petersen and that was a tough act. The experts just didn't pay attention to him because of the Petersen comparison.
Probably also has something to do with the 4.1 and 4.3 YPC that he averaged his two last years in college.
 

L.T. Fan

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Probably also has something to do with the 4.1 and 4.3 YPC that he averaged his two last years in college.
Obviously that didn't affect his pro career. Oklahoma had spread offense and an average to poor offensive line. They were geared to protect Bradford. It wasn't a run oriented team like when Petersen was there.
 
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