Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur is defending wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after the third-year pass catcher finished Sunday’s 31-7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks without a single catch, a performance that has intensified questions about his role in the offense.
The defeat, which came after Arizona opened the season with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers, dropped the team to 1-1 and put a spotlight on Harrison’s production so far. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has just one reception for 33 yards through two games in 2026.
Harrison came into the league as one of the most celebrated wide receiver prospects in recent memory, but he has yet to deliver on that promise at the pro level. Injuries limited him to 12 games last season, when he caught passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns. He is still chasing his first 1,000-yard NFL season.
Beyond the numbers, Harrison has faced criticism over clips circulating online that appear to show a lack of hustle in his route running and blocking. LaFleur rejected that interpretation this week.
“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.”
Film of Harrison this season has shown both the polished route running that made him a top prospect and moments of visible frustration, including drops and plays that fell short of his own standards.
Other pieces of Arizona’s offense have taken off even as Harrison struggles. Tight end Trey McBride was named first-team All-Pro last season, and wide receiver Michael Wilson topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, earning 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 has since overhauled parts of its offensive coaching staff and scheme, but those changes have not yet shown up in Harrison’s stat line.
LaFleur, in his first season as Cardinals head coach, said the team has to weigh Harrison’s involvement against the needs of the rest of the offense.
“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.”
