Cardinals HC Shuts Down Marvin Harrison Jr. Concerns

Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. will bounce back.

Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) against the New Orleans Saints during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The whole football world watched Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. fall well short of the massive expectations placed on him during the No. 4 overall pick's debut on Sunday.

Harrison notched just one reception for four yards on three targets - he didn't appear to be a focal point of Arizona's game plan and frankly looked a bit nervous after stepping on an NFL field for the first time.

Harrison was a shell of what fans, reporters and the Cardinals coaching staff saw on a daily basis during training camp.

While the outside world continues to wonder and speculate how Harrison will perform when the Los Angeles Rams visit State Farm Stadium this week, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon isn't worried.

“Yeah, he'll be fine. Marvin will be fine. He'll get back at it and go to work, but no one's going to put more expectation and pressure and or him wanting to do well than himself," Gannon said of his top pick.

"He’ll be perfectly fine.”

Harrison's four total yards was the fewest receiving yards by a receiver taken in the top five during his debut since Desmond Howard, according to ESPN's Stats and Info.

“I thought he did a good job. I mean Buffalo did a lot to take him out of the game," said Gannon, who cited the Bills' cloud coverage on Harrison.

Gannon also hopped on Arizona Sports' Burns and Gambo, offering this:

“The game plan with how they wanted to play us dictated a lot of his involvement. They kind of took some of that away. We planned for that — or maybe there was a couple other plans — but no question we got to get him going.

"We got to get him a little bit involved, but they did some things that took him away and put a lot of resources to him.”

The Cardinals have absolutely no worries on Harrison bouncing back.

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