How bad was the relationship between new Houston Texans wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and the Arizona Cardinals?
Apparently, the two sides were radio silent at the end of their time together.
According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, Harrison "stopped taking calls" from his coaches before he was dealt to the Texans for a pair of draft picks ahead of Week 6's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now partially, the deterioration of the two sides wasn't because they disliked each other. It was instead due to the pressure of meeting the standard of a generational wide reciever that was drafted 4th overall back in 2024.
"I just think at one point he was in his head, which made him play slower and cautious," One source told Weinfuss. "His high expectations were a gift and a curse.
A two-time All-American at Ohio State, Harrison only caught just five passes for 85 yards on 13 targets and scored one touchdown in four games before the trade. Over the past two seasons, his targets and role diminished while the growth of Michael Wilson and Trey McBride only brought stability to the Cardinals' offense.
The Texans hope to take advantage of reuniting Harrison with former Ohio State passer and Pro Bowler C.J. Stroud, banking on their relationship to turn his career around. Last week, the 24-year-old made three catches for 34 yards in his debut while playing in 16 snaps.
"He did a good job last week. With all the change for him coming from Arizona to here and then transitioning over to London, he did a really good job with everything we asked," Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley said. "There was no issues in terms of learning or anything like that. He's a really, really smart guy. I think just another week's been obviously helpful. We'll never do anything but help in that case and he's done a good job."
The Texans take on the New York Giants this Sunday at home. Kickoff on FOX is scheduled for Noon.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL insider reveals final day of WR Marvin Harrison Jr.'s time with Cardinals before Texans trade