Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur is defending wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after viral video clips fueled online criticism that the third-year receiver isn’t giving full effort on the field.
The defense comes after a rough Week 2 for the Cardinals, who lost 31-7 to the defending champion Seattle Seahawks following an opening-week win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Harrison finished the Seahawks game without a single catch, extending a quiet start to his 2026 season.
Through two games this year, Harrison has just one reception for 33 yards. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and came into the league as one of the most hyped receiving prospects in recent memory, but he still hasn’t posted a 1,000-yard season. Injuries limited him to 12 games last year, when he caught passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns.
Clips circulating online showing Harrison’s route running and blocking have led some fans and observers to question his effort level during games. LaFleur rejected that interpretation directly.
“I don’t see it that way,” LaFleur said. “I think his running style is different than some other people’s, I would say that. If that’s people’s narrative on him, that’s fine. I know his teammates don’t feel that way.”
Harrison’s film has shown moments of the precise, polished route running that made him a top prospect coming out of Ohio State. But he’s also shown visible frustration at times, whether from drops or from not meeting his own expectations.
Other pieces of Arizona’s offense have taken off even as Harrison has struggled. Tight end Trey McBride was named first-team All-Pro last season and has become one of the league’s top players at his position. Wide receiver Michael Wilson topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025 and signed a contract extension this offseason.
Midway through last season, Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. publicly criticized the Cardinals’ offense, saying it was hard to watch his son’s team play. Arizona overhauled parts of its offensive coaching staff and scheme since then, but those changes haven’t yet shown up in Harrison Jr.’s numbers.
LaFleur, in his first year as Cardinals coach, acknowledged the slow start but said Harrison’s targets have to be balanced against the rest of the offense’s needs.
“I know it’s just ‘get some easy completions and get going,'” LaFleur said. “You also have Trey McBride, who’s one of the best underneath guys in the world and there’s only about 60 to 65 plays a game. And you’ve got to run the ball. You’ve got Kendrick [Bourne], who works underneath pretty well, too. Everyone’s kind of got their role right there.”
