Marvin Harrison Jr. on a brutal 2025: 'Couldn't really catch a break. But that's life.'
Appendicitis, a concussion, two heel injuries: the Cardinals receiver lost five games to a cascade of ailments. He says the recovery is ongoing but won't linger into 2026.
Marvin Harrison Jr. spoke for the first time since the 2025 season ended, and the picture was of a year that never let up. Appendicitis, a concussion, and two separate heel injuries cost him five games. 'Couldn't really catch a break last year, it kind of felt like,' he said. 'But that's life. I got to keep moving.'
What exactly happened in 2025?
A cascade of unrelated injuries. Harrison suffered a concussion in Week 6, appendicitis in Week 10, and two separate heel injuries in Weeks 13 and 17. The total cost was five missed games for a player who, in his words, had never dealt with that kind of absence: 'It sucks not playing. I've never not played.' None of the injuries alone would define a season; the accumulation did.
Where does his recovery stand?
Still in progress, but he's optimistic. Harrison called it 'an ongoing process still' on June 2, while expressing confidence about the season ahead: 'I don't think it's going to linger into next season, for sure.' His offseason priority is keeping his body healthy week to week rather than any single rehab, a sign that the issues are about durability and accumulation rather than one major structural injury.
What does Arizona need from him in 2026?
Availability first, production second, and he knows it. 'If I'm out there, everything else is going to take care of itself,' Harrison said. He was the fourth overall pick in 2024 and the centerpiece the Cardinals built their passing game around; a healthy season is the single biggest swing factor for the Arizona offense. The talent has never been the question. Staying on the field is.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Cardinals' Harrison still not recovered from '25 injuries
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