Cardinals place CB Sean Murphy-Bunting on NFI list, ending his 2025 season

Arizona cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting was placed on the non-football injury list Thursday and will miss the entire 2025 season for the Cardinals.

The move to put Murphy-Bunting on the reserve list, where he will not count against the 90-man roster, was released on the NFL’s daily transactions report. The Cardinals had not made any announcement about the move and there is no immediate word on what the injury is.

Non-football injuries are any injury that happens away from an NFL facility, including working out to get ready for the season. An NFI designation can lead to players forfeiting their salaries.

Murphy-Bunting was supposed to be guaranteed a $7.7 million base salary this season as part of the three-year, $22.5 million deal he signed last offseason, but that is now in jeopardy.

Murphy-Bunting started 15 games in his first season in Arizona and had three interceptions and five passes defensed. He was in the mix to be a starter again in 2025. 

The Cardinals drafted Will Johnson in the second round, with 2024 second-rounder Max Melton also in the mix at outside cornerback.

The 27-year-old Murphy-Bunting was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round in 2019 and helped the Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in his second season when he had three interceptions in four playoff games.

He spent the 2023 season with Tennessee before joining Arizona.

Murphy-Bunting has 11 interceptions and 34 passes defensed in 82 regular-season games with three more interceptions and a fumble recovery in six playoff games.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!