Bailey gets to wear the Pat Tillman No. 40 jersey in practice all week in Week 3.
After playing 60 games with four starts in four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, inside linebacker Markus Bailey signed with the Arizona Cardinals in the offseason hoping to earn a roster spot to at least contribute on special teams.
He played 950 special-teams snaps in those four seasons after being a seventh-round pick in 2020, and totaled 18 tackles in 2022 and ’23.
However, the talent ahead of him resulted in being cut in the roster reduction to 53, but a spot on the practice squad beckoned. That’s where Bailey has been so far this season and this week he’s worn a No. 40 jersey in practice this week as the Pat Tillman Scout Team Player of the Week.
“It’s definitely an honor considering everything that he’s known for and the history with his whole situation,” Bailey told Cards Wire Wednesday. “It’s an honor that your efforts are recognized even though you may not be on the active roster. It symbolizes doing your role, maximizing your role. And my role right now is to give our starting offense and special teams the best look that I can give.”
The jersey this week is a bit improved over the red one running Michael Carter wore the week before and Bailey noticed.
He said, “I think the white one is maybe a little bit nicer than the red one. It’s definitely an honor, kind of sweet. So, feels pretty good to get recognized for that. I’m super thrilled and super honored to be recognized for my efforts and continue to do what I can to help the team.”
Bailey, who was seven years old when Tillman was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004, still had awareness of the Tillman story before coming to Arzona.
“I’ve always known the name and I’ve known a little bit of the story and I knew enough about it,” he said. “I know that he’s someone that served our country and symbolizes someone that puts the work in. A gritty person, football guy through and through. I was always aware of him and then coming to the Cardinals this year, I became more aware and when you walk by that glass outside coming back into practice every day, you see the jersey and how everything’s kind of a testament to him.”
Head coach Jonathan Gannon, who picks the winner each week, emphasizes the importance of those players on the practice squad and whoever is doing the important work each week of providing the look for the first-team offense and defense going against what is expected from the opponent.
Bailey understands how crucial that can be.
He said, “When I’m out there, especially on high (tempo) days, just try to make plays and try to get them real fast looks and be physical for certain schemes that they’re trying to maybe isolate a linebacker and give a really realistic look, and go as hard as I can. So that those guys know what it feels like who they have to block and be able to be successful in their assignments.
“So, (it’s about) just going out there and just controlling what I can control and just giving the best effort that I can when I’m out there.”
It can also be a way for those players to show the coaches they are deserving of an elevation from the practice squad for games or be signed to the active roster at some point.
“It’s an opportunity for me to be able to go against our starting offense and make legitimate plays against them,” Bailey said. “So that I can show maybe the decision-makers that I can make plays against our starters too.”
Pat Tillman Scout Team Player of the Week
Week 1: RB Michael Carter
Week 2: LB Markus Bailey
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.