Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson will host a community event and celebrity basketball game on Saturday, May 10th, at Corona del Sol in Tempe.
The community event begins at 11 a.m., with the hoops game scheduled for 1 p.m.
Celebrities scheduled to be in attendance include Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Cardinals wideout Marvin Harrison, Jr., free agent pass-rusher Matthew Judon, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold and more.
The community day is free. Tickets for the basketball game can be purchased here.
Wilson did an exclusive Q&A with Esports Insider to talk about the event, his thoughts on the Cardinals, his video game preferences, playing for Bill Belichick the year he got fired, the success of ex-Browns teammate Baker Mayfield and more.
Esports Insider: How’s your hoops game?
Mack Wilson: “Oh, I can hoop. For sure.”
ESI: Who do you think will be the best player on the court besides yourself?
Mack Wilson: “I’ve seen Marv, and Marv is smooth. This guy Robert Fomby, BDot, they’re pretty good. Terrell Owens can hoop too. There’s going to be some talent out there.”
ESI: You’ve done a lot of different things for charity. How important is that to you?
Mack Wilson: “It’s important. First and foremost, for me personally, growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, where I’m from, and not having that support system as a young kid. I felt like it steers kids in the wrong direction at a young age. I was blessed and fortunate enough to find God at an early age and go down my own path, leave my friends behind. So I feel like it’s important, man.
“For us as athletes, with the money we make, it’s the least we can do, give back in the community in any way possible. Show our faces and have conversations with the kids. There could be one little thing you say to them that will touch them, and that can be the turning point of their life. You never know. I enjoy doing it for that reason.”
ESI: So it’s the basketball game, but also a community day beforehand?
Mack Wilson: “Yeah, the community day starts at 11 a.m. with free food, free activities for the kids. Tons of stuff for them to do, and we’ll have some players out there to be with the kids before they have to warm up. It’s going to be cool, man, and I hope a lot of people come out to support this great cause. They’ll get a chance to hang out with some of the guys.”
ESI: Another cool event you’ve done in the past was a Twitch stream of Call of Duty for charity. How was that one?
Mack Wilson: “That was a fun one. Well, I wasn’t as good at Call of Duty back then, so that wasn’t fun for me, but it was cool chatting and interacting with the kids, for sure.”
ESI: Do you like playing video games with current or past teammates?
Mack Wilson: “I don’t play games with anybody on (the Cardinals), but I’ve got a few guys around the league. Like, DeVonta Smith, I’ve been playing a game with him since we were in college. He’s a guy I always play with, and then some other guys I grew up with.”
ESI: You prefer the sports video games?
Mack Wilson: “(Smith) likes Call of Duty a lot so I’ll play that with him, but I like 2K. I’m a 2K guy.”
ESI: Looking at the Cardinals, they’ve added a lot to the defense. What are your feelings about what this defense can be? Seems like a unit that can be improved quite a bit.
Mack Wilson: “Definitely, man. This group has no ceiling. I honestly feel like we have the opportunity to be the top defense in this league. We’ve just got to put it together. Take it a day at a time, believe in each other, build that camaraderie amongst each other, build that trust, and let it come together. JG and Monti did a great job with the new additions and the draft picks. They filled the needs we needed on the team. I’m excited, bro. I can’t wait to see how everything fits together.”
ESI: They didn’t do as much on offense, but Marv can make a leap going into Year 2. You’ve got Trey McBride and Kyler coming back. When you look at this team as a whole, what’s the ceiling?
Mack Wilson: “We expect to be a dominant team. We expect to add that fuel from last season to this season and build off it. We know what type of team we can be. It’s all about going out there and putting our best foot forward every day, and then seeing where we end up. We’ve obviously got a bad taste in our mouth from a lot of games last season. To be able to run it back with a majority of the same guys, we’re gonna have a good shot, man. We’ve just got to believe in it and put the work in.”
ESI: Playoffs definitely feel like a realistic expectation, right? You were close last year, the talent has been upgraded and a lot of the main guys are back. Is that fair to say?
Mack Wilson: “That’s always going to be the goal every year. We’ve just got to be able to put everything together. Dominate from start to finish and see where we end up. I like our chances though.”
ESI: You’ve played with many talented quarterbacks in college or the NFL, like Jalen Hurts, Tua, Baker Mayfield. How do you feel about Kyler’s talent, now that you’ve seen him up-close for a year, and where he can take the offense?
Mack Wilson: “Kyler’s a rare breed. He’s in his own category and can do a lot of special things. Let’s not get it twisted: he’s a great quarterback. He’s won a lot of games, so obviously that’s why he’s been here for the longest, and I honestly feel like this year he’s going to do what he’s got to do to take us there.
“From the atmosphere I feel in the building, from seeing his work ethic, from seeing him approach things, I can just tell he has a chip on his shoulder. He just wants to win games. It’s that simple. He’s working hard, bro, and I genuinely feel like Kyler is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. This year, he’s going to show everybody that.”
ESI: When you look back at last year, did you like your role, and does it feel like you have a nice fit within this defense?
Mack Wilson: “I enjoy it, man. I enjoy being able to play multiple positions, and I look forward to doing it again. I don’t know exactly what my role will be with this new ‘backer room that we have. I enjoyed playing that position, though, for sure.”
ESI: Blitzing is something you’re good at, and I assume you enjoy doing it. But do you think you might blitz less because the front four should now be able to get more consistent pressure on its own?
Mack Wilson: “I would love not to have to blitz. That would mean we have a great rush going on. I do enjoy it. If they want me to blitz, I’ll blitz. If I’m not blitzing, I’m covering. Whatever I can do to help us win.”
ESI: Have you talked to Kyzir White since the start of free agency?
Mack Wilson: “I’ve talked to him a little bit. I’m not sure where he’s going to end up. I just know he’s training and rehabbing.”
ESI: Did you enjoy playing with him last year?
Mack Wilson: “Oh, definitely, bro. It was fun. I enjoyed sharing the field with K-White, building a relationship with him over the season. He’s a real genuine dude, a hard worker, alpha dog, leader. It was quick. It was too quick. I was hoping to be able to run it back with him for years to come. That was something we were talking about all year. Especially at the end of the season. We wish we could have done more together as a ‘backer group. He’s a dope person.”
ESI: From a Cardinals perspective, it seems like they were looking to have someone different in coverage in that spot. Do you have an idea of what they were thinking? Obviously Akeem is a little different type of player.
Mack Wilson: “I’m not sure. I think they just did what they felt was best.”
ESI: There are so many Alabama players in the NFL. Is it normal at this point when you see college teammates on your NFL team?
Mack Wilson: “It’s still dope, bro. You’re walking in the same halls at the highest level as you did with a college teammate. No matter if you had a close relationship with them or not, it’s always special. It’s something we dreamed of, and to do it with someone that you were in college with four or five years ago, that’s dope.”
ESI: Is it special to come from a college powerhouse where you have all of these connections?
Mack Wilson: “It’s cool, bro. Or even when someone who coached you in college now coaches you in the NFL. You end up being on the same team again, stuff like that is cool. Those are special moments. I remember when I was in Cleveland with Tosh Lupoi. He was my OLB coach at ‘Bama, so that was super special. I was always going to his office, to his house because I was super familiar with him and his family.”
ESI: So you were at Alabama when Tua and Jalen switched roles, right?What do you think of Jalen’s perseverance to become a star and Super Bowl champion?
Mack Wilson: “It was humbling to see. Me and Jalen were in the same class, and we developed a relationship in college. We were close and we talked about a lot of stuff. To see him handle that like a champion and come to work every day, not let it bother him and still put his best foot forward. He didn’t turn his back on the team, didn’t quit, didn’t show any signs of weakness. And then he graduated and had to do what was best for him and his future.
“Tua as well. Tua came out there and balled as a young guy, stood up as a leader. And then the next year Tua got hurt and Jalen came in and led us to (the SEC) championship. It was unreal. I can’t wait to tell my son about it when he gets a little older, because those are two warriors and two guys I’ve seen overcome plenty of adversity.”
ESI: Looking at your Patriots stint, I think it’s really interesting that you played for this legendary coach in Bill Belichick, but at the end of his tenure. People are still talking about how it devolved between him and Robert Kraft. When you were there for those two years when it was past the glory days, what was that like?
Mack Wilson: “I really respect Bill. Bill is one of the greatest coaches ever. And it was still work. Nothing felt off. He was still running everything like he was the head coach. We obviously didn’t know he was going to get fired, or what was about to go down. He didn’t show any signs of it. He coached us hard every day, he showed up and kept it professional. My two years there were cool. To say I was able to play under coach Belichick is dope. I enjoyed it. Hard-working coach, for sure.”
ESI: What stood out the most about Belichick? You’ve played for Nick Saban and some really good coaches. Did Belichick do something unique?
Mack Wilson: “He’s a legendary coach, so anytime he got in front of the team for a meeting and said something, I’m going to believe him. Especially pertaining to football, whether it’s technique or whatever. He’s one of the greatest coaches ever, and to be able to get advice from him for two years, I learned a lot from him. Not only football but life as well. He’s a leader of men and one of the best coaches ever.”
ESI: You were in Cleveland with Baker Mayfield. He had some ups and downs at that point, and he left the same year you did. What did you think as you watched him try to become a franchise quarterback, and are you happy to see him flourish with the Buccaneers?
Mack Wilson: “I always knew Baker would succeed. Baker wasn’t drafted No. 1 overall for nothing. And I always felt like Baker was a leader and a great quarterback. He was super competitive, and it was only a matter of time before it was his time to shine. He’s shining now. I’m sure people probably hate that. There are some people that are mad that he’s balling right now. I’m happy for him. He was a cool teammate. Great dude. I don’t have anything bad to say about Baker. He was a great leader.”
ESI: You think the people in Cleveland are shaking their heads a little bit? You look at their QB situation now and it’s like, ‘Oh, they probably should have just extended Baker three of four years ago.”
Mack Wilson: “Yeah, man. There are some people out there mad, for sure.”