When Michael Wilson was growing up, if he played poorly, his father made sure to emphasize Wilson was the reason why.
When Wilson played well, his father made sure to emphasize Wilson was the reason why.
"I feel like my parents did a great job of instilling in us that you control your own outcome 99.9 percent of the time," the second-year wide receiver said. "Wherever you are in life and the decisions you make, you made it."
The Cardinals drafted wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. fourth overall. They have emerging tight end star Trey McBride. But Wilson, a third-round pick in 2023, showed enough as a rookie that his future too could be as a standout.
That's what former NFL wideout and Wilson coach T.J. Houshmandzadeh thought when Wilson was coming out of college, and it's what Wilson believes. It's a decision he can make himself.
"I have a lot of confidence, but I don't have unrealistic confidence," Wilson said. "I know where I fit in. I know how to be a be a master within my role in every aspect of life."
The spotlight won't be that intense, not with Harrison on the field. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said Wilson's key word is consistency – both in staying on the field health-wise and being able to show up to make plays each week.
The health question resonates hard with the self-aware Wilson. He said last year the No. 1 stat he wants to achieve is to play all 17 games. But making plays? That feels inevitable, after he and Kyler Murray worked so hard this offseason to make it so.
Last year, Wilson missed time with what turned out to be a neck injury. When he returned late in the season he went two games without a catch on seven targets, his chemistry with Murray lacking. That was driven home the next game in Philadelphia, where he made a route mistake that led to Murray throwing a Pick-6.
Wilson was crushed, admittedly the most upset he had been all season. "As a veteran quarterback who signed a big deal and had multiple Pro Bowls, (Kyler) could have been like, 'Man, I don't want this rookie playing anymore with me.' But he trusted me."
Murray later threw a key TD pass as well as a two-point conversion to Wilson in an upset over the Eagles. In the finale against Seattle, Wilson had six catches for 95 yards, and the QB and receiver then spent the offseason building chemistry that both have talked about often.
"Mike is going to be playing for a long time," Murray said. "I believe that. I fully expect that Mike is going to go off this year."
Even with the injuries and the Murray disconnect early on, Wilson still had a team-best 14.9 yards per catch last season, with 565 yards on 38 receptions. His size (6-foot-2, 213 pounds) makes him an ideal target, he said he's working on cutting down on body catches to improve his yards after catch, and coaches fell in love with his blocking – a key on a team that was top five in the league in rushing.
The Cardinals did sign veteran Zay Jones, but there is little question who WR2 will be behind Harrison.
"He's smart. He does everything the right way," cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said. "I love competing against him every day."
Wilson smiles at the notion that he could lose out on opportunity with Harrison's arrival and McBride's development. All that means, Wilson said, is that the Cardinals have a better chance to win.
"Whether we have Trey, we have Marvin, or if we don't have them, my job description doesn't change," he said.
Perhaps the job description doesn't change. But Wilson hopes his stature does. He's in control of that, after all.
"If you're not in this business to be the best, you're in it for the wrong reason," Wilson said. "I haven't arrived yet. I'm still far away from maximizing from arriving at my potential, but I think as every day, as long as I keep taking a step in the right direction, then I'm going to find myself in a good place."
