‘Next Man Up’ Christian Kirk Shows Off Arm as Cardinals Get Tricky

Getty Arizona Cardinals WR Antoine Wesley catches a pass from Christian Kirk against the San Francisco 49ers on November 7.

Christian Kirk had plenty of confidence in his arm, but he was a little worried about his thumb when the Arizona Cardinals dialed up some trickery against the San Francisco 49ers.

Kirk said he hyperextended his thumb just prior to Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury calling a trick play and giving the fourth-year receiver his first chance to throw a pass in an NFL game.

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“I really couldn’t feel my thumb,” Kirk told reporters Tuesday, November 9. “When they called the play, I was like, ‘Oh no. I’ve got to go say something because I can’t really grip the ball.’ But then I was like, ‘I can’t miss out on this opportunity.’ I had to find a way to make it happen.”

The play worked perfectly: QB Colt McCoy took the snap, faked a pass to running back Eno Benjamin and then pitched the ball behind his back to Kirk.

Kirk didn’t appear to be bothered by the thumb and was on target with the 33-yard pass to Antoine Wesley, who made the catch along the sideline and just outside the end zone.

“I feel like people were kind of asleep on my arm ability,” Kirk said. “I always knew I could throw. I’ve done it in high school … and a couple times in college. I finally got my chance to do it.”

The catch was close enough to a touchdown that Kingsbury challenged the ruling on the field, though it was upheld. One play later, Cardinals running back James Conner punched it in from the 1-yard line for one of his three TDs in the 31-17 victory Sunday, November 7.

Kirk said he was “disappointed” the catch wasn’t ruled a touchdown.

“I thought it was a touchdown for (Wesley),” he said. “I wanted to be able to say that I threw him his first touchdown.”

Pro Football Reference noted the pass was Kirk’s first completion at the college and pro levels.

Kirk finished the game with a team-high 91 receiving yards on six catches, including a 50-yard bomb in the second quarter.

Mark Dalton, the Cardinals senior vice president of media relations, noted that Kirk became the first player in franchise history with a pass of more than 30 yards and a reception of at least 50 yards in the same game.

Dalton also noted that Kirk’s most recent completion prior to the trick play came back in 2014 during the receiver’s senior year at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.

KPNX Channel 12 sports anchor Cameron Cox tweeted further evidence of Kirk’s accurate arm:

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‘Next Man Up’ Also Applies to Trick Plays

Kirk told NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano that the Cardinals have been practicing the play all season.

The play had been designed for DeAndre Hopkins to throw to A.J. Green, but neither was available against the 49ers. Hopkins missed the game with a hamstring injury, and Green remains on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.

“But obviously with them both being down, I got chosen to be the next man up,” Kirk said.

Kingsbury said the play is called “Fifth Ward,” named after an area in Houston, and so far has a perfect success rate in games. The Cardinals coach said the double-pass play also was completed the one time he used it in a game while serving as offensive coordinator at the University of Houston.

“So it’s two-for-two,” Kingsbury told reporters. “(Kirk) made a great throw and Antoine made a great play, so I’m glad it worked out.”

Offensive lineman D.J. Humphries said Fifth Ward had been successful in practice, but he was surprised when it was called against the 49ers.

“Honestly, I couldn’t believe that we had called it in a real game,” Humphries said. “There is something about a lot of stuff happening in the backfield that makes offensive linemen wary. … But we also knew every time we ran it in practice it was either a touchdown or a bomb.”

Kirk said he didn’t think about his hyperextended thumb once the ball was snapped and McCoy pitched him the ball.

“When I got the ball in my hands, it was just making sure, one, that I didn’t overthrow him; and … two, that I just gave him a chance to go make a play,” he told NFL Network. “Antoine is a big-body guy who can go up and make a contested catch.”

Wesley tweeted his appreciation for the throw after the game:

 


Kingsbury Provides Injury Update vs. Panthers

Kirk said his thumb is “fine” and joked that he’ll be ready to step in if the Cardinals need him to throw the ball more often.

“If my number’s called to step back there and make some throws, I won’t be hesitant to do it,” he said.

It’s still unclear whether the Cardinals (8-1) will have QB Kyler Murray available when they host the Carolina Panthers (4-5) on Sunday, November 14. The Pro Bowl QB and MVP candidate did not play against the 49ers after injuring his left ankle against the Green Bay Packers on October 28.

“I don’t have a feel for it yet,” Kingsbury said of Murray’s availability vs. the Panthers. “We liked the way he progressed through the week. He definitely improved. We’ll have to see how he looks when we get back out there on Wednesday (November 10).”

Hopkins also remains “day-to-day” with a hamstring injury, and Green has not yet cleared the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, Kingsbury said. Offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Max Garcia also are battling injuries, and their status against the Panthers is uncertain, he said.

Running back Chase Edmunds, who sustained a high-ankle sprain against the 49ers, isn’t expected to play against Carolina.

The Cardinals made a few moves Tuesday, November 9, adding some help on both lines. With defensive linemen J.J. Watt and Rashard Lawrence going on injured reserve, Arizona brought back Zach Kerr, who played with the team in 2019.

The Cardinals also activated offensive linemen Marcus Henry and Danny Isidora from the practice squad, and Koda Martin was re-signed to the practice squad.

Linebacker Joe Walker also was activated from the practice squad.

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