Marvin Harrison Jr. Returns to Cardinals Lineup After Heel Injury

Marvin Harrison Jr., the Arizona Cardinals' star wide receiver and fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, returned to the lineup on Sunday for the team's Week 16 game against the Atlanta Falcons, marking his first appearance in two weeks after a heel injury sidelined him.

Harrison, a second-year pro out of Ohio State, had missed four of the Cardinals' past five games this season due to the heel issue, an earlier appendectomy following Week 10, and a concussion that kept him out of Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. Despite practicing on a limited basis throughout the week and expressing optimism about his status, Harrison entered the matchup as a game-time decision. He warmed up without apparent issues and was confirmed active alongside other questionable players, including right tackle Kelvin Beachum, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, linebacker Cody Simon, and wide receiver Xavier Weaver.

In the early stages of the game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Harrison struggled to find his rhythm against Atlanta's defense, which ranks eighth in the NFL against the pass. He recorded no catches in the first quarter, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett targeting him just...