Anytime you see a network plug an upcoming NFL game, they always display a featured player as part of the enticement to get viewers. Usually, it is the quarterback since that is normally the most recognized face on their team.
As an example, teams like the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams are an easy sell with the photos of Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford, respectively.
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Sometimes, the networks will show a trio of players so that they can feature other guys who usually are the ones who score points or garner a huge number of sacks.
Yes, defenders have been featured before, but there are few.
Which begs the question: Who is the “Face of the Cardinals”? Let’s examine some candidates.
QB Jacoby Brissett
Well, certainly the quarterback for the franchise should be considered. However, Brissett has primarily been named the backup quarterback for the majority of his NFL career. Yes, he is now the Cardinals’ starting QB, which should fill a role with the popular vote. And networks love quarterbacks.
But if he remains the starting QB, which is currently expected, he will need to dump that former self when he was an annual backup for the majority of his 11-year career. He has played in 101 games with just 65 starts. He did have a stretch with the Indianapolis Colts where he was their starter for two seasons, and he started the first 11 games for the Cleveland Browns in the 2022 season while the franchise was waiting for Deshaun Watson to finish out his 11-game suspension. But when that expired, Brissett warmed up the bench.
In order to become “The Face” of the Cardinals, he will need to ball out and play at a Pro Bowl level all season. He was voted the offensive Captain, so that’s a start.
RB Jeremiyah Love
Back in the day, running backs were the most popular position for fans. And a team made sure they had an Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, LaDainian Tomlinson, or Walter Payton who would routinely receive 25-30 carries a game.
Running backs carried the ball. They scored near the goal line. They could break big plays and take on bigger athletes such as linebackers. They got the reputation of being the bellcow for the offense and are exciting to watch when they grind out nine yards with three guys on them.
Can Love rekindle that long-gone tradition? In today’s game, almost every offense features at least two backs, and sometimes three. Such is the case for the Cardinals, who will use Tyler Allgeier to supplement Love. And who knows, as soon as James Conner returns, how many carries any of these RBs will actually get.
Love was the #3 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, and he is a running back from a major college such as Notre Dame. All the boxes are checked for him to eventually be named “The Face.”
WRs Marv Harrison/Michael Wilson
Everyone loves the guys who catch passes and score touchdowns. These can be electric plays and, of course, advance the scoreboard.
In college, name a receiver award, and Harrison won it. And he had a production season in his rookie campaign. But last year was full of injuries, which means so far his professional career has been a roller coaster. He came to the Cardinals with the term “generational” hanging all over him.
Wilson is a former third-round pick, and all anybody expected out of him was to complement guys like Harrison. Going into Week 6 last year, he had very few targets and even less receptions. But once Kyler Murray became injured and Jacoby Brissett took over, his numbers increased. He ended up with highs in every category of his career, including getting over the 1,000-yard plateau.
Now, he has a new huge contract, so the franchise is accepting that he can be “The Face” of the franchise, right?
TE Trey McBride
It is conceivable for a tight end to gather the limelight. Look at Travis Kelce with the Chiefs and George Kittle with the San Francisco 49ers. They show their tight ends frequently as featured players.
Tight end Trey McBride (85) USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
And McBride is more of a large receiver than a traditional tight end. He has the background to become a league leader. His numbers were decent as a rookie. But into his second season, somebody figured out this dude could catch, and he had 106 targets, 81 receptions for 825 yards, 42 first-down conversions, and three touchdowns.
The last two years, he has had 147 and 169 targets for 1,146 yards and 1,239 yards, respectively. IN 2025, McBride broke the single-season record for receptions by a tight end when he grabbed his 117th catch in late December, beating the mark of 116 catches.
For McBride to be considered an elite NFL player, he will need more than his two Pro Bowls and to gather more yardage each season.
A guy like Kelce has had six seasons where he gained over 1,000 yards. He owns 11 Pro Bowls.
OT Paris Johnson, Jr.
Can an offensive lineman become the icon as well? But why Johnson? He hasn’t been on the roster that long and has yet to get his first Pro Bowl. So, there’s that.
His mission this year is not to have to be compared repeatedly to some of the greatest Cardinals’ linemen in franchise history. Plus, with the three new offensive linemen, he has to remain healthy and stay on the field and not miss many practices or playing time. Doesn’t durability get any votes?
S Budda Baker
Now we are talking. However, networks don’t usually pick defensive players, and if they do, it is usually a guy like Myles Garrett who will have a storage shed full of sacks each season. So, Baker is working against traditional aspects in network TV.
But the veteran safety certainly has plenty of cred going into his 10th NFL season. Being named to the “NFL All-Rookie Team,” 8 Pro Bowls (including the last seven consecutively), two-time First Team All-Pro, two-time Second Team All-Pro, and winning the Rooney Award is a terrific career in just nine seasons. Had 164 tackles in 2024.
This just might be our man. He certainly isn’t a “look at me” type of player. He simply does his job and gets back into the defensive huddle. He isn’t on the cover of Sports Illustrated and doesn’t boast about his stats. “The Face” hasn’t been a defender for quite some time, and perhaps Baker can just slide into the position. Remember the diving interception against Jacksonville last year? He is usually a defensive Captain, and was again voted to this distinction again for 2026.
DE Josh Sweat
It might seem unfair to consider a guy like Sweat, in that he has only played one year for the Cardinals. But let’s go a bit deeper.
Sweat has played seven years in the league and came to Arizona last year to be reunited with his former defensive coach Jonathan Gannon. A lot of controversy with him during the offseason about whether he wanted to remain with the Cardinals now that Gannon has moved on. But we will see, as he is under contract.
As far as a pass rusher, he is pretty much it. Last season he had a high in career sacks with 12.5 with 17 QB hits, 13 tackles for loss, 2 batted passes, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 7 knockdowns, 9 hurries, 28 pressures, and zero missed tackles.
If Sweat was named “The Face,” his numbers justify it so far.