Trent Murphy

High school career

Murphy graduated in 2009 from Brophy College Preparatory He was a letterman in track. In Murphy’s junior season (2007–08) he helped back Brophy Prep to an Arizona 5A1 Division championship. As a senior in 2008-09 he served as team captain, leading Brophy to a runner-up 5A1 Division finish.

In track & field, Murphy was one of the state's top performers in the discus, winning the Arizona State Championship in 2009 (top-throw of 58.70 meters). He also competed in the shot put.

Freshman and sophomore years (2009–2010)

Murphy did not see field action in his freshman year (2009) and was sidelined due to injury two games into his sophomore year (2010). During the two games he played in his sophomore year, Murphy logged one sack and two solo tackles against Sacramento State.

Junior year (2011)

In 2011, Murphy bounced back from his 2010 injury to record stellar numbers, logging 40 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. In his first game against San Jose State, Murphy recorded 5 tackles. Murphy registered a career-high with 10 tackles, 9 solo, including 2 tackles for loss of yards against the Oregon Ducks. In the January 2, 2012 Fiesta Bowl against 13th-ranked Oklahoma State, Murphy sacked Brandon Weeden for a 9-yard loss. In sum over the 2011 season Murphy logged 6.5 sacks for -43 yards, 10 tackles for loss for -50 yards, 25 solo tackles and 15 assists.

Senior year (2012)

Murphy started all 14 games of the 2012 season for Stanford's Pac-12 championship season. He led the Cardinal defense with 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, the best defensive records for Stanford since 2000 and 2004 respectively. Murphy’s season included 6 QB hurries, 4 passes broken up and 1 forced fumble. Murphy recorded his first career interception of a pass made by Keith Price, resulting in a 40-yard return for a touchdown. Murphy registered another career high game against number 1 ranked Notre Dame, with 10 tackles 1.5 sacks including 2.5 tackles for loss of yards. The Stanford defense was the 2012 NCAA Division I-A Sack Leader, with Murphy topping the list. Murphy was named to the All-Pac-12, 2012 1st team, CBS All America Team 3rd 2012 Associated Press All-American 3rd Team 3rd, and the 2012 Sports Illustrated All-American Team. He was a Butkus Award semi-finalist and won the Stanford-player voted Jack Huston Award recipient for exceptional performance and unheralded effort

− Source: cfbstats.com/Trent Murphy, *TFL 87 yards total, **Pick Six, 40 yard return

Fifth-Year Senior (2013)

Murphy chose to return to Stanford for a fifth-year senior season, despite his option to enter the 2013 NFL Draft. At the end of the 2013 season Murphy ranked first for sacks in the Pac-12, as well as, first for total number of sacks in the NCAA with a total of 15 sacks, 119 yards lost an average of 1.07 per game. In the category of tackles for loss, Murphy ranked second overall with 23.5 (83 yards total, 1.68 avg per game). Murphy was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the week in weeks 6 (Oct. 7) and 9 (Oct. 28). On November 1, 2013 Murphy was named the Chuck Bednarik Player of the week, shortly after moving to the semi-finalist round of voting for the Bednarik Award. On November 8, 2013 Murphy moved to the semi-finalist round for the Lombardi Award given to the nation's best O/D lineman or linebacker. For the second year, Murphy was named to the All-Pac-12 First team, along with 5 Stanford Cardinal teammates. On Dec. 7 the Stanford Cardinal defeated ASU to earn the Pac-12 Championship title for the second year in a row and earned the honor of playing in the 2014 Rose Bowl game, as they did in 2012. Also for the second year running, Murphy received Stanford's Jack Huston Award, voted by his peers as the player exemplifying aggressiveness, exceptional performance and unheralded efforts. Additionally, at the Dec. 8, 2013 football awards ceremony, Murphy received the Frank Rehm memorial award for outstanding lineman in the Big Game (reference for 2 Stanford awards pending publication). Murphy was named to the 2013 Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American first team, in its 124th year. In addition to the Walter Camp Foundation honor, Murphy was voted to All-American teams by the Football Writer's Association of America, American Football Coaches Association and Sporting News. These honors resulted in Murphy being named to the 2013 College Football Consensus All-American Team. Murphy logged 4 tackles playing defensive end in the Senior Bowl in Mobile Alabama on January 25, 2014. During the practices leading up to the game was tested at both defensive end and outside linebacker positions. He participated in the NFL Combine February 22–25, 2014 in Indianapolis.

2013 season statistics

Source: cfbstats.com/2013, * TFL yards as of 11/02/2013, ** Pick Six, 30 yard return.

Awards

Professional career

The Washington Redskins selected Murphy with the fifteenth pick of the second round, 47th overall pick, in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Redskins signed him to a four-year contract on May 23, 2014. He had his first career start in the Week 8 win against the Dallas Cowboys after Brian Orakpo was placed on injured reserve. In his rookie year, Murphy had a total of eight career starts, but was placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured bone in his right hand on December 23 and missed the last game of his rookie season.

For the 2016 season, Murphy shifted over from outside linebacker to the defensive end position, and gained over 30 pounds to help him transition to the move. Murphy switched back to the outside linebacker position before the start of the season due to injuries at the position.

On April 14, 2017, Murphy was suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. During Week 1 of the preseason, Murphy suffered a torn ACL, ending his 2017 season.