Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson doubled down on a message to the Rams after Myles Garrett’s move to Los Angeles, insisting Arizona won’t be an easy opponent even if it’s viewed as a long shot in the NFC West.
When Myles Garrett joined the Rams, it was the kind of move that quickly had many fans penciling Los Angeles into the Super Bowl picture. Mack Wilson didn’t buy it.
Asked earlier this week for his reaction to Garrett joining the Rams, the Cardinals linebacker kept his focus on one simple reality: the field doesn’t care about projections. Wilson said, “They’ve got to deal with us. At the end of the day, they’ve got to deal with us.”
Arizona’s stance comes from a tough place. The Cardinals finished 3-14 last year. and entering 2026 they’re considered a distant fourth behind the Rams’ NFC West rivals. the Seahawks and 49ers. Still, Wilson’s point is clear—Arizona doesn’t have the luxury of surrendering the mental battle before kickoff.
Whether that message stays inside the building or becomes something the Cardinals lean on publicly is another question. The hope for Arizona. at least on paper. is to catch the Rams unready at the right moments—whether that’s Week 6 or Week 10. But there’s also a practical concern: the less Arizona gives coach Sean McVay a neat line to use in the days leading up to those matchups. the better.
That tension shows up in Wilson’s own phrasing about the matchup itself. “They said we have to deal with them. We will.”
The attitude isn’t only about week-to-week football, either. The way the Cardinals handle the quarterback situation invites scrutiny about how seriously they’re trying to contend in 2026. versus whether the organization is willing to accept long odds for the chance to land the first overall pick in 2027.
That’s where the stakes get sharper. The possibility raised here is stark: if the Cardinals’ plan leans too hard on future value, it could set up a scenario where the presumptive first overall pick refuses to play for the team.
None of that changes what will matter when the games begin. Regardless of the plans—or the lack of them—that decision-makers may have, the players who take the field in 2026 will play with the effort they can control.
If Arizona can navigate a challenging schedule better than expected, the story won’t just be a surprise. It will be the kind of turnaround that makes Wilson’s message feel less like talk and more like the first step in an earned response.
Mack Wilson Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Rams Myles Garrett NFC West Sean McVay 2026 NFL season Super Bowl LXI Week 6 Week 10 quarterback situation