Marvin Harrison Sr. Laments Changes in NFL as Son's Cardinals Offense Struggles

As Marvin Harrison Sr. watches his son Marvin Harrison Jr. play for the Arizona Cardinals, he sees an NFL that looks vastly different from the one he left in 2008 after a 13-year career. The elder Harrison is struggling to adapt to the Cardinals' offense, which has slogged to a 2-5 record and a five-game losing streak heading into "Monday Night Football."

"It's very hard for me to watch the Cardinals' offense," Harrison Sr. told ESPN. "And you can quote me on that." The 53-year-old former wide receiver is having a hard time relating to the Cardinals' offense, which features a quarterback primarily in the shotgun and constant motion. Harrison Sr. is aware of how he sounds, acknowledging that "the style of offense that I am accustomed to, that I'm used to watching as a professional eye, as a wide receiver ... I just can't relate to watching that [current] offense, that style of offense."

Meanwhile, Harrison Jr. is trying to focus on what he can control, like getting open, finding separation, and catching the ball when it's thrown his way. He's aware that his personality and approach to the game are different from his father's, who was known for demanding the ball. Harrison Jr. is working on being more assertive, but he admits it's a challenge. "I'm not the first to say it, but [Harrison Sr.] demanded the ball a lot more than maybe I would have demanded the ball," he said.

Despite the struggles, Harrison Jr. remains confident that the Cardinals' offense can still work if the players execute at a high level. He's seen his former Ohio State teammates, like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chris Olave, thriving in different offensive systems around the league. Harrison Jr. is determined to make the most of the situation he's in and continue to improve his own performance.