First trip to New York tiring yet rewarding for Heisman finalist Kyler Murray.
NEW YORK — By the time Kyler Murray walked into the New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, there was one overriding feeling for the Oklahoma quarterback. Exhaustion. “Everything’s been a rush,” Murray said. “No chill time.”
Murray had been on the run for about 36 hours, about the midpoint of a whirlwind weekend taking him from Atlanta for the College Football Awards to New York for Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Murray, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins are the three finalists for the Heisman, which will be presented at the PlayStation Theater in Times Square.
But Murray wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s been crazy. Very blessed to be in the position I am. But again, I expected to be here in this position,” Murray said. “To be successful on the baseball field, I’ve put a lot of hard work into baseball my whole life,
and then I’ve put a lot of hard work into football.”
Murray is trying to become Oklahoma’s second consecutive Heisman winner, after Baker Mayfield became the sixth Sooner to win the award last year.
After taking part in a little more than 30 minutes worth of interviews, Murray moved down to the floor of the stock exchange, eventually making his way with
Tagovailoa and Haskins to the balcony where they rang the closing bell.
Murray then picked up the gavel first, banging it hard repeatedly to signal the end of the trading.
Earlier in the week, Murray admitted that he had no real concept of what that experience would be like.
Maybe he should learn, given the fact that he’s already signed a baseball contract worth more than
$4.5 million with the Oakland A’s and could have an even bigger contract awaiting him if he were to be a high pick in the NFL Draft next spring.
That’s for another day, though.
Friday, Murray was trying to enjoy his first trip to New York City. He’d previously only been to the state to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, about 200 miles north.
Murray’s conversation with Mayfield after Murray was named a finalist early in the week was less about what to expect and more about Mayfield — who was twice a finalist — telling Murray to be sure to slow down and enjoy the experience.
“We talked about just having your family out here, stuff like that, kind of soaking it all in and having fun with it,” Murray said.
Murray, who has also become renowned in Norman for his fashion choices as well as his play, said he hoped to get some shopping in during his trip.
But he doesn’t have to worry about what to wear Saturday night. An Oklahoma City tailor has taken care of his wardrobe for the ceremony.
“It will look nice, that’s all I can say,” Murray said.