Cardinals Sign New Kickoff/Punt Return Man

New York Giants wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (87) gestures while warming up during a game between New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cardinals Sign New Kickoff/Punt Return Man

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 12:38 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals have reportedly added to their special teams unit.

The Cardinals have signed New York Giants wide receiver and notable return man Ihmor Smith-Marsette on a one-year deal.

Former Giants kick and punt returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals, per his agent @seanstellato.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2026

Smith-Marsette first entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2021, winning a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in his second season. He's also appeared on the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and recently the Giants.

Smith-Marsette did not appear in a game in 2025.

He's played in 48 career NFL games but has just 14 receptions on the season. Most of his playing time has come on special teams, where he's played 34% of snaps each of his last two years. He scored a kick return touchdown in 2024 and ran a punt return back in 2023.

The Cardinals' special teams unit will need a boost moving into 2026 after one of their most dismal showings in recent memory under coordinator Jeff Rodgers — though with the dismissal of head coach Jonathan Gannon, it's unlikely Arizona brings Rodgers back.

Cardinals return man Greg Dortch is set to hit free agency this offseason.

What Will Cardinals Do at Head Coach?

Who exactly Smith-Marsette will play under in 2026 is yet to be determined, as Arizona has reportedly requested to speak with 13 candidates as of this article's publish:

Vance Joseph, Robert Saleh, Anthony Weaver, Patrick Brown, Raheem Morris, Klint Kubiak, Matt Nagy, Jeff Hafley, Chris Shula, Mike LaFleur, Jesse Minter, Matt Burke and Arthur Smith.

Arizona also reportedly made contact with free agent head coach John Harbaugh.

"I feel we're all accountable for where we are," Cardinasl general manager Monti Ossenfort said after Gannon was fired.

"And that starts with me. And so I think we all have to look in the mirror and figure out where we have gone wrong, what we can do better, and how we proceed from here. And so, Michael and I spoke last night, like he said, we spoke again this morning, and decided that this was the best course of action for us as a team."