Will Johnson Flashes Superstar Ability in Arizona Cardinals Win

The Arizona Cardinals may have found their next great superstar.

Yes, we’re only one week into the 2025 season, and yes, Arizona did play one of the worst teams in the NFL on paper, but rookie cornerback Will Johnson showed up and showed out in the Cardinals’ Week 1 win in New Orleans.

“It felt great,” Johnson said after his NFL debut in an interview with Dani Sureck, which comes as no surprise.

Why wouldn’t he feel great? Not only did he play in his first NFL regular season game, but he was statistically the best player on the field. According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson’s 90.3 grade wasn’t just the highest on Arizona’s defense, but the highest between both sides of the ball from either team.

Johnson was simply great in coverage, as he was targeted seven times, but only allowed four catches for 32 yards. He was the second-most targeted defensive back on Arizona’s defense, and he certainly held his own against New Orleans’ receivers.

Two plays highlight Johnson's debut

While he was making plays all game long, two stand out among the rest in Johnson’s first taste of NFL football.

BREAKDOWN: How Arizona Cardinals Stole Week 1 vs Saints

In the second quarter, Johnson appeared to make a great play on a deep ball thrown by Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler, picking it off in the end zone and kneeling for what looked like a touchback.

Unfortunately for Johnson and the Cardinals, an illegal contact penalty against Max Melton took away the pick in an incredibly frustrating way. The flag was over 30 yards away from the ball and had no impact on the play, but in the end Johnson wasn’t able to score his first interception of his career.

“Shoot, almost picking that ball off definitely made me feel a lot better,” Johnson said, explaining he had the usual first-game jitters, but making a big play, even if it got called back, helped ease the nerves.

And you could certainly tell Johnson was comfortable, as he looked like a seasoned veteran and not the inexperienced rookie he is. Fans took notice, the media certainly took notice, but his teammates were also quick to observe just how well Johnson played.

“I love the way Will (Johnson) played today. Obviously, they snatched one from him. I wanted that one for him too. First game, get a pick, that would have been tough. He played well,” quarterback Kyler Murray said after the game.

While his interception didn’t count, another huge play Johnson made couldn’t be taken away by a penalty. In the fourth quarter as the Saints were trying to claw back from a 20-10 deficit, Johnson leveled a major hit on wide receiver Chris Olave, breaking up a pass in the process, but more importantly proving he belonged in the NFL.