The Arizona Cardinals shipped Marvin Harrison Jr., to the Houston Texans on Sunday because the receiver never lived up to the hype that came with him when he was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
That doesn't mean his former teammates in Arizona are relieved to see him go.
"Obviously, outside of football, that's a person that meant a lot to me and I had a really good relationship with," Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett said shortly after the Cardinals' 45-21 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. "You never want to see somebody leave, but just obviously wish him the best on whatever he has coming up next for him. But yeah, it's tough. We all have a really good relationship with him in the locker room, so obviously losing him is big."
Brissett said Harrison and the coaching staff both let the players know the receiver would be traded Saturday before news broke that the Cardinals were ready to deal him, although the Texans trade wasn't announced until DeMeco Ryans broke it in his postgame press conference after the Texans' 26-3 win over the Titans on Sunday.
Brissett said the conversation among players went on in a group chat, but didn't want to go into details about what was said.
"I'll keep that in the group chat," said Brissett, who was Harrison's quarterback in two of the receiver's three years in the NFL.
Mike LaFleur, who is in his first season as a head coach, also spoke positively of his former receiver, who will be reunited with his Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud in Houston.
"I really like Marvin Harrison. He's a good person. I wish him well," LaFleur said. "We did what we thought was in the best interest of the Cardinals. Any guy that does not play to the level that I feel like they're capable of, I'm always going to put that on me and on coaching in general."
After catching 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2024, Harrison's production has consistently dropped. He had 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns last season and just five catches for 85 yards in four games this season. He had fallen behind receivers Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne in targets and had been thrown to less than tight end Trey McBride and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love as well.
As for why Harrison never flourished in Arizona, Brissett said that wasn't a question he could answer.
"It's somebody that I know I'll miss and a lot of guys in that locker room will miss," Brissett said. "I'm sure a lot of us are rooting for Marv."
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There’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at How Arizona Cardinals players reacted to Marvin Harrison Jr. being traded to Houston Texans.