Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. lets his football talent shine on Sundays, but on May 14, NFL fans got to experience his talent as a wordsmith. 

The yearly NFL schedule release has become a spectacle for all 32 teams, with every team putting a unique spin on what would be a mundane event. 

For the Cardinals’ 2025 schedule release, Wilson collaborated with Bighead Music Group to create the song “18 Bars,” which is available on Apple Music, Spotify and all Cardinals digital channels, including Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Wilson began making music under the name “Rocketship” last season and rounds out the trio “3rd&Go” with former teammates Zach Pascal and Jesse Luketa. 

Wilson said he chose “Rocketship” as his alias because the Cardinals logo reminded him of the rocketship emoji, but also because it represented what he wanted for his career.

“It was kind of referring to me and kind of where I felt I was at in my life,” Wilson said in a press conference following the schedule release. “With me coming here, getting that first start, being able to compete for a starting position…I feel like it was time for me to take off in a sense.”

He described his brother, Detroit-based rapper Lando Lo, as one of the heavier influences on his music, and he often plays his own tracks in the locker room and weight room.

But when the team approached Wilson about writing and producing a song for this year’s schedule release, he didn’t believe it. 

“I was back home in Houston with my family, and I got an email saying something about a schedule release and I opened it and read it a little bit, and I didn’t think it was real at first,” Wilson said.

The Cardinals gauged his interest again, and despite being hesitant because he didn’t have Pascal and Luketa to bounce ideas off of, he agreed. 

Wilson described the process as long, but he enjoyed it and appreciated the support he had along the way.

“It’s been fun, though. I enjoyed the whole process with it,” Wilson said. “I was happy to have my teammates’ support throughout the whole deal, so, yeah, we got a fire schedule release.”

The Cardinals released a music video for the song as well, which features prominent Cardinals such as running back James Conner and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The video, which took place in the team’s film room at its facility in Tempe, took around 14 hours to complete over two days, according to Wilson. 

He said he never thought he would make a music video for one of his tracks. For Wilson, rapping is a way to calm his mind. 

“I feel like (rapping) does a lot for me personally because it takes me away from football. It kind of takes me away from my family, not in a bad way, but it just isolates me and puts me in this space where I’m happy, in a sense, and I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” Wilson said. 

 

The Cardinals’ 2025 Schedule

• 9/7 at New Orleans Saints, 10 a.m. kickoff

• 9/14 vs. Carolina Panthers, 1:05 p.m. kickoff

• 9/21 at San Francisco 49ers, 1:25 p.m. kickoff

• 9/25 vs. Seattle Seahawks, 5:15 p.m. kickoff

• 10/5 vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:05 p.m. kickoff

• 10/12 at Indianapolis Colts, 10 a.m. kickoff

• 10/19 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1:25 p.m. kickoff

• Bye Week

• 11/3 at Dallas Cowboys, 6:15 p.m. kickoff

• 11/9 at Seattle Seahawks, 2:05 p.m. kickoff

• 11/16 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 2:05 p.m. kickoff

• 11/23 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 2:05 p.m. kickoff

• 11/30 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11 a.m. kickoff

• 12/7 vs. Los Angeles Rams, 2:25 p.m. kickoff

• 12/14 at Houston Texans, 11 a.m. kickoff

• 12/21 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 2:05 p.m. kickoff

• TBD at Cincinnati Bengals

• TBD at Los Angeles Rams

Wilson noted the games in New Orleans, Houston and Dallas because his family will be able to make it to more games. He said his family’s attendance adds comfort on the road and he especially loves showing off in front of his mother, who lives in Houston.

“I like giving them a show,” Wilson said. 

In the offseason, the Cardinals improved their defensive roster with the additions of edge rusher Josh Sweat, veteran defensive tackles Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson and drafting rookie defensive tackle Walter Nolen III in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Wilson said he is excited about the group.

“I feel like we’ve got a good group,” Wilson said. “We’ve just got to put everything together and see how we can execute week-to-week.”