What seemed to be inevitable became official on Friday, as wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will be inactive for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
Harrison, 23, suffered a heel injury in the Cardinals’ 20–17 road loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter.
This will be Harrison’s fourth game missed on the season, and his second in a row. The second-year player out of Ohio State missed Weeks 11 and 12 after undergoing an appendectomy. He returned in Week 13 before exiting with the heel injury that has kept him sidelined ever since.
In the three games so far where Harrison has been absent, Michael Wilson has done an excellent job stepping up as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. Wilson has caught at least 10 passes with over 100 yards receiving in each game.
Now in year two with the Cardinals, Harrison has failed to live up to the “generational talent” claims stamped on him coming out of college. In year two, Harrison has played ten games, catching 40-of-69 targets for 594 yards and four touchdowns.
It is getting to the point where 2026 may be a make-or-break year for the former top-five draft pick.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon does expect Harrison to return at some point this season and stated that the injury had improved significantly.
“He’s doing a lot better,” Gannon said.
Along with Harrison, Gannon ruled out Paris Johnson Jr., Jalen Thompson, and Max Melton. Johnson has been dealing with a knee injury that he suffered last weekend, which will be his first game missed this season.
Arizona will be shorthanded in the secondary with Jalen Thompson (hamstring) and Max Melton (heel) both inactive.
The Cardinals are looking to snap a five-game losing streak on Sunday as they take on a Houston team that is looking to catch the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South division race.
Kickoff at 11 a.m. Mountain Time.