The Marvin Harrison Jr. fiasco demands real reform from Michael Bidwill

The end is shocking. Almost as much as Marvin Harrison Jr.’s lack of performance between the lines.

He is either one of the greatest busts in NFL history, about to join a shameful group that includes JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf and Trey Lance. Or he’s about to expose the Cardinals as the worst organization in football.

If you trust your eyes, it’s time to trade Harrison. His separation rate is the worst in the NFL. He lacks intensity and doggedness. There’s plenty of game tape where he doesn’t seem to be trying that hard. He seems seriously spooked by the level of violence in the NFL.

To wit: Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers was drafted two selections below Harrison in 2024. On a recent podcast, he admitted his own sense of culture shock, noting that NFL defenders “arrive out of nowhere” and “they’re trying to kill you.”

General Manager Monti Ossenfort is paying a heavy price. But for all the fruitless, punchless draft picks he’s delivered to Arizona, Harrison is not one of his mistakes. He was a can’t-miss prospect coming out of Ohio State. Everybody who mattered raved about his talent and his pedigree, which means this is mostly on the player. And if Ossenfort can land a second-round draft pick from the impending trade, it might be one of his better saves and more prudent maneuvers in a long time.

But something about the latest development has struck a nerve in the Valley, revealing a fan base that is very agitated with the state of the organization, a fan base that is out of patience.

Maybe it’s all the losing. Maybe it’s all the obfuscation and the lack of transparency. On Friday, Ossenfort said that Harrison “is a big part of what we’re doing.” He said the organization was “excited to move forward” and was “really not paying any credence to any of (the trade speculation).”

On Saturday morning, Cardinals fans woke up to news that Harrison had been placed on the shelf until a trade is completed. The former No. 4 overall pick will never play another down for the Cardinals. Brutal.

Vitriol is in the air. On Saturday, I was approached by a season-ticket holder who seemed dumbfounded, who added that he can’t find anyone who wants to go to games with him. It’s the byproduct of a much larger problem, a franchise that has regressed badly in the past 10 years. And you can only imagine the hellfire if Harrison suddenly flourishes somewhere else.

To all those screaming for new ownership: With private equity invading professional sports, there might come a time when soaring franchise valuations prompt the Bidwill family to sell. That’s not likely.

But what’s fair is that Michael Bidwill reads the room, the moment and the fan base and recognizes that it’s time for serious reform. He needs to hire a proven football man as team president, just like the Falcons did with Matt Ryan. The new team president needs the ability to hire a new general manager, if necessary. And barring the sudden emergence of Carson Beck as a franchise savior, that seems inevitable at this point.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.

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