First, let’s look at Ian Rapopopopopoprt’s repopopoport:

“The former NFL rushing leader and his team are not in a good place. In fact, Eagles and Murray appear headed toward a stare-down regarding his future with the organization, according to several sources informed of the situation …

Murray doesn’t feel completely comfortable with the organization, his role and how 2015 played out. He was a target for fans’ angst, and it never improved on the field … It’s fair to say Murray has eyes on greener pastures, places where he believes he can be successful and earn the large contract he signed. If he was released, teams like the Seahawks, Cowboys and Raiders (who were interested last offseason) would be interested again. He’s currently building a house in Dallas.”

And then, DeMarco Murray on SportsCenter at virtually the same damn time, saying literally the complete opposite:

“Do you wanna be back and play in Philadelphia?”

“I do, I do. Obviously you know something for me you know um you know that’s not the lasting impression I wanna leave in my mouth, and the fans you know, and my family and anyone, you know? So I take football very, very serious you know and it’s my life you know. I love it, besides my family and my faith obviously, but you know those are things that you know I never wanna leave off on the note like I did last year, so I’m working tremendously hard to try to improve from an individual standpoint and a, you know, team standpoint as well.”

Who do you believe? Rapopopoport has a reputation as one of the more reliable inside source-driven reporters out there, and his report also seems to line up with common sense. Why would Murray want to stay in the city where he had such a tough time, where the team is in rough shape, and where much of the fan blame for the team’s struggles last year fell on his shoulders? Then again, I don’t know DeMarco Murray or how he looks at things. He could be even more fired up from that and determined to show all the doubters wrong.

Then Murray was on TV, literally within minutes of Rapoport’s repoport going up, and said he wants to stay in Philly because he doesn’t wanna leave anywhere after having a season like he had last year. That also makes a ton of sense, but even if he already had one foot out the door, Murray wasn’t going to admit that on TV. There’s no way this was gonna happen:

“Welcome to SportsCenter, DeMarco”

“I’m free baby, hit my agent up, let’s do this.”

We don’t really have a grasp on the new Doug Pederson/Howie Roseman era yet, but taking both of these stories on their face, I’m inclined to believe Rappppppopopopopoport.

[h/t reader Brian]