Kyler Murray walked into the room with a big smile, saying hello to the group of invited teachers, coming over to shake the hands of media who had arrived.

The Cardinals quarterback even took some time to host a trivia game, a role which he embraced – "I love trivia" – and took pictures with those same teachers.

Murray was there at the Desert Financial headquarters on Thursday to present a check for $10,000 to the Arizona Educational Foundation in conjunction with Kretschmar Premium Deli Meats & Cheeses (for whom Murray is a spokesman) and Albertson's/Safeway.

He was doing the same in the afternoon to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley.

But it was also the first time Murray had faced the media since the playoff loss to the Rams, and since his agent went very public with a desire for a new contract. The topic was inevitable to come up.

"I'm an Arizona Cardinal," Murray said. "I've done nothing but give my all to the Cardinals and will continue to do that. I'm not really too worried about my future as a Cardinal."

Murray also addressed his scrubbed Instagram posts, a social media move that ultimately drove Murray's name into the headlines for a time.

"If you are a kid my age, you're used to people taking off (posts)," Murray said. "That's just a thing. I took everything off of there besides one picture. It had nothing to do with the Cardinals or anything like that."

Asked about getting a contract done, Murray said he will focus on football and let "people who have to take care of that stuff take care of that stuff."

It was impossible for him not to notice what a popular topic he became, however, from the IG situation to the statement put out by his agent talking about the need for a new contract sooner rather than later.

In a league that has been overrun with huge player news and movement over the last few weeks, Murray managed to be in the thick of it as he goes into his fourth season.

"For a second there I was trending for, I want to say, five weeks in a row," he said. "Every time I got on Twitter, I'm like, 'What are people talking about my name for,' all this stuff.

"Obviously you got the whole social media stuff and coming out with whatever it was with the future. But honestly I am happy where I am at, where my feet are, keeping football the main thing like I always have."

Murray didn't address his plans for the offseason, but backup QB Colt McCoy said he hoped to see Murray during workouts.

"I know my first three years in the league how hard it was to handle everything that comes with being a franchise quarterback and being in the NFL," McCoy said. "I think Kyler has handled it tremendously. I think he's just going to continue to get better."

Veteran right tackle Kelvin Beachum, during an appearance on The Jim Rome Show this week, said every player needs to improve on the roster, not just Murray. But he added he thinks Murray already has been doing that.

"He's matured since I've been here, and I've only been here since 2020," Beachum said. "I think he's going to continue to take the steps that are necessary for him to be the franchise-leading quarterback the Cardinals want to have and the Cardinals want to pay. I think he knows that, I think the Cardinals realize that."

That kind of backing Murray embraces – "Those are the only people that matter to me, people inside the locker room, inside the building, people that know me and are around me every day" – as he hopes to continue to give away oversized checks around the Valley in the coming years.

"It's an adopted home," Murray said. "I'm personally wanting to be here long term to go out an impact people that live in Arizona."