Cardinals' Harrison unfazed by Fitzgerald comparisons
Marvin Harrison Jr. entered the NFL this year as one of the top wide receiver prospects in recent years, and the expectation is that he becomes the Arizona Cardinals' most accomplished wideout since Larry Fitzgerald.
Harrison - the son of Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison - understands the hype, but he isn't too worried about it.
"You've got to think that I've been compared to a Hall of Famer my whole life," the rookie pass-catcher recently said on SiriusXM Radio. "Going into this situation isn't much different at this point. I'm just going to embrace it. There's never going to be another Larry. Larry was great. I'm just trying to be the next me."
A two-time unanimous All-American, Harrison put on a show at Ohio State and was selected fourth overall in 2024 as the No. 1 receiver in a loaded class. The 2024 draft saw seven wideouts go in Round 1, tying an NFL record originally set in 2004, the year Fitzgerald landed with the Cardinals at No. 3 overall.
"I'm supposed to be here, this is what I'm supposed to do," Harrison added. "I'm living out my dream, so I'm never trying to put too much pressure on myself. Obviously, I'm still hard on myself on the field, I just want to be the best that I can be, but I just feel like I'm supposed to be here, that’s my mindset the whole time."
Fitzgerald spent his entire NFL career with the Cardinals, appearing in 263 games from 2004-20. The 11-time Pro Bowler is the franchise's all-time receiving leader with 1,432 catches, 17,492 yards, and 121 TDs. He ranks second in NFL history in receptions and yards. Fitzgerald was also great in the playoffs and helped his team reach the Super Bowl for the first time during a sensational 2008 season.
DeAndre Hopkins was the last Arizona pass-catcher with 1,000-plus yards in a season (1,407). The 32-year-old - who joined the Tennessee Titans last year - is one of the top receivers of his generation but only played for the Cardinals from 2020-22.
In 2023, Harrison was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and claimed the Fred Biletnikoff Award as college football's most outstanding wide receiver.