Cardinals' Marvin Harrison Jr. Says He Weighs 220 Pounds amid Viral Photos, Was 209

After raising eyebrows during the offseason with a new-look physique, Marvin Harrison Jr. spoke about his transformation now that the Arizona Cardinals have opened training camp.

Harrison confirmed on Wednesday that he added 11 pounds to boost his weight to 220 after playing at 209 pounds during his rookie year.

The second-year receiver went viral during Cardinals OTAs and minicamp when his arms looked like something akin to a professional wrestler rather than a football player.

Harrison said in May his offseason diet plan consisted of eating "all the right things" and consuming "extra protein for sure."

Coming out of Ohio State, Harrison took one of the most unique approaches to the draft of any prospect in recent memory. He did no pre-draft workouts at all, instead saying he was "training to play football."

The approach did nothing to hurt Harrison's draft stock, as he was selected No. 4 overall by the Cardinals. It did leave him as something of a mystery entering the NFL, despite his high-profile college career at one of the biggest football schools in the country.

Harrison also caught flak after his first game when his top speed was historically low for a wide receiver.

Things got better for Harrison immediately after that. He caught four passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 2 win over the Los Angele Rams.

Harrison had a solid rookie season with 885 yards and eight touchdowns, but it was overshadowed by other first-year players.

If you include tight end Brock Bowers, there were an NFL-record four rookie pass-catchers with more than 1,000 yards. Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers and Ladd McConkey were the others.

Since Harrison was the first receiver off the board in the 2024 draft, his season felt like a disappointment when compared to those other players.

Harrison's offseason transformation at least suggests he put in the work to catch up to that group. He will also be counted on as a target on the outside for Kyler Murray as the Cardinals look to build on their 8-9 record last season and compete for a playoff spot in 2025.