TEMPE, Ariz. — Welcome to the Valley, Marvin Harrison Jr.!
The Arizona Cardinals' top pick in the NFL Draft made his first trip to the Valley as a member of the Red Sea on Friday, along with fellow first-round pick Darius Robinson.
Harrison Jr. made the trip with his dad, NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, who won a Super Bowl and was named to eight Pro Bowls in his 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
Harrison Jr. said being able to watch his dad play with Peyton Manning and company made a huge impact on him as a kid and is a major reason he has been able to make it to the NFL.
"I mean, there's no better role model, coach, mentor that you can have than someone who's played the game," Harrison Jr. said. "And then you know, he's actually your father too, so he means a lot to me."
The elder Harrison said when he watches his son play, he can see some similarities to when he was suiting up in the NFL, but he believes the younger Harrison can be better than he ever was.
"People say when they see him, it looks like the same, it's like a bigger version of myself," Harrison said. "So, he's very good off the line, he's very explosive and, you know, he runs extremely good routes. But he does a lot of things I can't do, you know, just make those big contested catches, so he's gonna be a fun guy to watch around here."
Harrison Jr. had more than one familiar face in the audience at the Cardinals' team headquarters in Tempe on Thursday. Cardinals offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who played with Harrison Jr. at Ohio State, was there as well. For the duo, being able to wear the same uniform once again is truly special.
"It's awesome, man. I think this is kind of two years in the making with Paris and we've kind of had this conversation going back to even before he got drafted by the Cardinals (in 2023)," Harrison Jr. said. "I just get the chance to play with him again and hopefully when I score some touchdowns he raises me up in his arms like he used to do in college. So, super excited to play with him."
"I'm excited to be able to get back to doing that with him, you know, to celebrate in the endzone with Marvin," Johnson Jr. said. "Those long plays where we're on, like, our own 20, throw it up to Marvin, I get to celebrate for 80 yards down the field. There's nothing better as an offensive lineman to know you get to jog 80 yards down the field, laughing and smiling, pointing at the defense. So, you know, it's good to get back to that with him, I think it will be special."
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray posted a video on X, formerly Twitter, showing him celebrating when Harrison Jr.'s selection was announced on Thursday night. Murray's newest weapon said seeing that he already has support from his quarterback makes him excited to suit up on Sundays.
"You want support and love from the quarterback," Harrison Jr. said. "And then Kyler's a great player, so excited to play with him and it's going to be my job to make his job easier."
And while many fans already have Harrison slotted in as the Cardinals' top wide receiver for Week 1, he is ready to do whatever the coaching staff asks of him.
"I have high standards for myself, but I'm just gonna go in there and try to work the best I can," Harrison Jr. said. "I just wanna help the team win, really. So, whatever role I play, come September, just do my best."
Notes from Marvin Harrison Jr.'s introductory press conference
Harrison Jr. had a unique run-up to the NFL Draft, as he did not take part in the NFL Combine or Ohio State's pro day. His dad explained why, saying they didn't think taking part in the workouts would help him move up any higher in the draft than the No. 4 pick, due to the top three teams all needing a quarterback. So instead, they decided to have Harrison Jr. rest up in preparation for his rookie season.
Harrison Jr. also described himself as an easy-going guy who likes to be in his apartment, watch movies and go out to restaurants.
12News journalist Lina Washington, who was the only local TV reporter at the NFL Draft in Detroit, spoke with Harrison Jr. on Thursday night after he was drafted and showed him a video of fans at the Cardinals' draft party at State Farm Stadium celebrating after his selection was announced. Harrison Jr. was honored by the support.
"To have the support of the fans already, I mean, that's an amazing feeling," Harrison Jr. said. "Let's go there and work as hard as I can and make them proud."
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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