Roy Lopez, fan of Arizona Cardinals players as a kid, joins team as a player

Roy Lopez was back home in the Phoenix area working his way back from a hamstring injury, hoping for another NFL opportunity. The one that came his way was extra special.

It had been several weeks since he'd been waived with an injury settlement by the Houston Texans, the team that drafted him in the sixth round out of Arizona in 2021. Lopez was injured in the Texans' second preseason game, and despite starting his rehab quickly, the Texans decided to move on from him. He'd made 29 starts in 33 games over two seasons.

The Arizona Cardinals signed Lopez to the practice squad on Saturday, then put him on the active roster Tuesday. On Wednesday, Lopez practiced with the Cardinals for the first time.

Afterward, there was no taking the smile off his face as he looked around the locker room.

"I understood that God has a plan and all I had to focus on was getting healthy, and everything is gonna fall into place," Lopez said. "It's been a long, long journey. I wouldn't trade a second. This is crazy even seeing the Cardinal (logo) on the floor and the Cardinals on the TV."

Lopez grew up around the game. His father Roy coached at Tempe Marcos de Niza for 19 years before going on to Tolleson and Mesa Desert Ridge, and little Roy spent many Friday nights in the stands. Also a standout wrestler as a youth and in high school at Gilbert Mesquite, he attended a good deal of Cardinals games on Sundays, from Sun Devil Stadium days to State Farm Stadium.

Lopez owned a youth size Emmitt Smith jersey and a Larry Fitzgerald jersey.

"We're extremely, extremely grateful. It's a close family, so it was heartwrenching to get waived, and he took it like a man and he understood it was a business move and he's grown so much from it," the elder Lopez said. "And he's super excited to play for his hometown. We are from head to toe, just chills that he gets to represent his state."

Wherever he played, from college at New Mexico State and Arizona after getting his degree to Houston in the pros, he followed the Cardinals and how they were doing. In 2021, Lopez and the Texans visited the Cardinals in Glendale, and at least 100 family members and friends were in the seats to support Lopez.

"They're pumped," Lopez said. "So I'm just blessed to be able to be the face and the guy on the field representing all of them.

"I played against Kyler (Murray). I think people don't understand how actually fast he really is. I got pretty close to him when we played him, but it didn't feel that close."

Lopez has spent the past few days getting familiar with a new defensive scheme and learning the names of his new teammates. The Cardinals need some depth on the defensive line with long-term injuries to L.J. Collier and Carlos Watkins, and on Wednesday Jonathan Ledbetter wasn't seen at practice.

"Quick, instinctive, has striking ability, smart. So I'm excited to get him out here today and get him going," Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said of Lopez.

Gannon was asked if Lopez will play as soon as Sunday at San Francisco, with family including his father in attendance.

"We'll see. We gotta go through the week. But yeah, I've got high hopes for him," Gannon said. "And he was awesome in the meeting (Wednesday). He conceptionally understands what's going on, you know, playing a little different system than he's played in coming here, but I like his skill set. And I like his brain."

Lopez was active in the community for the Texans despite not having been there very long. A fan favorite in Texas, he was once invited to be grand marshal of a giant Mardi Gras-style parade in Galveston, Texas.

"His fan base was monstrous," his father said.

"I see it as an opportunity to meet people, and that's one of the fun parts of the job," Lopez said, adding that he will resume his volunteer work in Arizona.

Proud of his Mexican heritage, Lopez reunites with two people of a similar background with whom he's crossed paths — Cardinals outside linebackers coach Rob Rodriguez and teammate Will Hernandez.

"I love that they get to show our culture and our little ones that it can be done," Lopez's father said. "All it takes is for them to see Will and Roy and Rob and just be like, 'I could do that. He looks like me. I could get it done.'"

Injury report

The Cardinals listed linebackers Krys Barnes (finger) and Josh Woods (ankle) as "Did Not Participate" in Wednesday's practice due to injuries. Both play the same position. Defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter was also not in practice with a finger injury.

Linebacker Zaven Collins wore a visor over the eye that got poked in last Sunday's game and was full participant in practice.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Chills' for family of local product Roy Lopez as he joins Cardinals