LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Caullin Lacy came to Louisville to be seen. Now he's staying to be remembered.
It was easy to label him another NIL mercenary when he opted out last season after four games. Heal up. Hold your eligibility. Enter the portal. Cash in.
But Lacy didn't run. He just waited — for his collarbone to feel whole again. For his game to return. For a final shot to prove he belongs on an NFL depth chart. That shot is now — and it's back in Louisville.
"I'm just glad to be back," Lacy said after the Cardinals' first fall practice. "Glad to be back in Louisville gear. I'm just ready to get better."
The 5-foot-9, 190-pound slot receiver offered a sneak preview in the Sun Bowl: three catches, two rushes, two touchdowns — a glimpse of what Jeff Brohm has in mind for one of his most versatile weapons.
"Caullin will play receiver, inside and outside," Brohm said. "Even in the bowl game, we put him in the backfield some, and he made a lot of plays. Doesn't have to be a big package — just make sure he gets the ball in his hands."
Louisville wide receiver Caullin Lacy during a 2025 preseason practice.
That's all Lacy wants. The ball — and a chance to make up for lost time.
"I'm ready for anything he gives me," Lacy said. "Whatever helps us move the ball. I'll do whatever we've got to do."
The second half of last season tested him. He tried to play through the pain but never felt right. Sitting out was hard. But necessary.
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"A humbling experience," he called it.
The former Cardinal and Super Bowl MVP and first-year wide receivers coach said he's loving everything about his new role
Now, he's faster, healthier and far more comfortable with some of the offense's finer points.
"I feel like I'm better than I was last year," he said. "I'm ready to be a pro. I was able to watch the small details and learn from my mistakes."
He's already synced up with new quarterback Miller Moss. They've been working all summer, trying to see the game the same way. So far, so good.
"We're going to do good," Lacy said. "I feel like I see eye-to-eye with him on a lot of things. I'm getting a good feel for where he wants me."
For now, he's taking nothing for granted. He didn't come to Louisville for a final act. He came to light up his path forward. And few Cardinals talk about the coming season with the zeal Lacy has expressed.
"Those first few games, I'm ready to kill," he said, eyes wide. "First game, second game, third game — I don't care who's out there. I'm ready to play."
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