For teams with hopes of contending, they often desire to have a culture of competition within their franchise. That means having talented players that want to push and get the best of each other, and lay it all on the line everyday in practice. With that kind of internal identity, games become easy, as players have went to war with each other everyday, getting better.
The Arizona Cardinals are trying to build that kind of culture, and a couple of their youngest players are at the center. Second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and rookie cornerback Will Johnson are college rivals, and they have picked up right where they left off, just now on the same team. With training camp underway for the Cardinals, the two promising players have already had a ton matchups, and are pushing each other to get better.
On Tuesday, the two had a couple of encounters that got fans buzzing. On one play, Johnson jumped right into Harrison’s chest, jamming him into the dirt. Some fans on social media pointed out that the receiver slipped, but Johnson certainly assisted Harrison’s journey to the ground.
Will Johnson vs Marvin Harrison Jr😳🍿
— LOCKDOWN WILL (@LockdownWill) July 28, 2025
pic.twitter.com/CKyi9dCNmn
No worries, though, as the wideout quickly got his get back, freezing Johnson at the line of scrimmage with a clean release, before running a drag route that he caught and took into the end zone. It was the kind of exchange from two young players that everyone wants to see.
Marv FREEZES Will Johnson off the line for an easy TD👀 pic.twitter.com/ZobLEdwYQW
— Maserati Marv 🏎️ (fan) (@MHJera_) July 28, 2025
The Cardinals understand the privilege of having two possible stars facing off against each other every day, and that’s why the team shared a photo of them lining up against each other with the caption, “iron sharpens iron.” Johnson also shared the photo on social media saying “competition breeds excellence.” Harrison Jr. shared it as well, and simply just dropped the 100 emoji.
The wide receiver is coming off a rookie season where he caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s ready to jump levels, though, significantly elevating his game in 2025. As for Johnson, he was considered a top-10 talent, who slid into the second round because of health concerns. If he can stay healthy, he should put together a great rookie season.