Stanford legend helps Arizona Cardinals secure upset win against 49ers

Former Cardinal legend Michael Wilson has established himself as a formidable option for Arizona, and while the team added Marvin Harrison Jr., Wilson's production is still helping the team win big games.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

During his second NFL season, former Stanford wide receiver Michael Wilson has taken somewhat of a supporting role on the Arizona Cardinals, with the team drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, effectively making him the team’s new number one pass catching option. But, that has not stopped Wilson from delivering strong performances this season, with his week five game against the San Francisco 49ers arguably being his best.

In a 24-23 upset over the Niners on Sunday, Wilson led the Cardinals in receiving for the afternoon, finishing with five catches for 78 yards. His two biggest catches of the day both came in the second quarter, when broken coverages by the 49ers allowed Wilson to get a 34 yard gain and a 20 yard gain to give the Cardinals the chance to get into opponent territory. He also had two catches in the fourth quarter that both resulted in first downs, which ultimately was one big reason why the Cardinals were able to score 11 unanswered points in the quarter and set themselves up for the field goal that was enough for the one point victory.

Despite leading the team in both catches and receiving yards, Wilson finished third in targets, trailing both Harrison Jr. and tight end Trey McBride. 

Wilson, who was drafted in the third round with the 94th overall pick by the Cardinals in the 2023 NFL Draft, became a top receiver in Arizona last season when he started 12 out of the 13 games that he played in, catching 38 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. While he certainly proved himself, the Cardinals finished 4-13 and opted to draft Harrison in order to provide more playmaking options for Kyler Murray. 

Through the team’s first five games this year, Wilson has caught 19 passes for 216 yards, finding the end zone once. Aside from his big game this past week, Wilson also delivered a big game against the Detroit Lions in week three, catching eight passes for 64 yards. 

Starting the season off at 1-1, the Cardinals then lost two straight games to both the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders before snapping the streak against the 49ers. With momentum now back on their side and first place in the NFC West within reach, the Cardinal will begin preparing for a game against the Green Bay Packers with much more now at stake. The Cardinals will kick off against the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (PT).