The roar of the crowd, the blinding stadium lights, the precision of a game-winning tackle—these are the sights and sounds that define Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Marco Wilson to the world. But this December, in the neon-drenched, cultural epicenter of Miami’s Art Week, Wilson is trading his helmet for an art canvas, making history as the first active NFL player to debut original artwork at the prestigious Art Basel showcase.

The National Football League announced the return and expansion of its NFL Artist Replay program. Curated by artist and cultural tastemaker Kendall Hurns, this year’s program showcases six dynamic visual artists with a season-long storytelling series during Art Basel in Miami.

This landmark moment anchors the expanded NFL Artist Replay experience, a league initiative returning for its second year to celebrate the intersection of football and art. But for the 25-year-old defensive back, this foray into fine art is far more than a PR sideline; it’s a deeply personal homecoming and a vital expression of an identity he’s cultivated since childhood.

Curating the Culture

The 2025 program features a stellar roster of artists, with Wilson's work debuting alongside an NFL Legend Martellus Bennett and several emerging talents, all curated by Hurns.

Featured 2025 Artists:

• Calvin Clausell Jr.: Los Angeles, CA — Painting
• Kayla Mahaffey: Chicago, IL — Painting
• McFlyy: London, UK & Los Angeles, CA — Multidisciplinary
• Joseph Anthony Perez a.k.a. Sentrock: Chicago, IL — Painting
• Sydnie & Haylie Jimenez: Chicago, IL — Sculpture

Hurns, a Chicago-born entrepreneur and multidisciplinary creative, brings a dynamic vision to this year’s program. As the founder of Arte Haus Studios, a creative studio dedicated to empowering artists and driving cultural innovation, he has worked across fashion, sport, and design to champion representation and foster access in historically exclusive spaces.

“Art and football are both powerful storytellers, and this program continues to show how they can intersect in a way that’s bold and rooted in culture,” said Kendall Hurns in the NFL’s press release.

Wilson describes his piece as being drawn from the gritty inspiration of the acclaimed Brazilian film “City of God” is one of the featured works in the exclusive gallery debuting Dec. 5-7 in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.

A Big Blessing, A Creative Spark

In an exclusive interview with BET.com, Wilson described the “great opportunity” with a humble reverence, calling it a “big blessing.”

“I just hope it brings a sense of creativity to people, because that’s where I come from with what I do in my art,” Wilson said. “I like to inspire people or motivate people to be creative in some, some way, shape or form. I hope that's what it gives people.”

For years, the public has known Wilson as an elite athlete, a defensive back capable of locking down the NFL's most explosive receivers. Now, he is allowing the world a glimpse into his creative side, a passion that, according to him, has been a central part of his life for as long as football.

His artistic journey began not in a formal classroom, but in the vibrant, sprawling outdoor gallery of his hometown.

“I would say I loved graffiti ever since I was a kid. Growing up in Miami,” Wilson shared, referencing his family’s roots in the Little Haiti neighborhood. “I would always, you know, go past, you know, the Wynwood area and stuff, and I would always see the walls of art out there. I think that’s what really got me. I’ve always been attracted to that.”

While he appreciates the historical gravitas of classic art—citing visits to the Louvre and a love for “older art” and “historic art”—his primary aesthetic love remains street art.

“I’ve always been more drawn towards graffiti,” Wilson said. “I think it’s one of the coolest types of arts, even though it’s super controversial. People hate it. But I, I feel like my love for that comes from more of—it’s, I feel like it’s more of a free type of art style, and people can have their, their, their own, you know, connection with why they do it, or, or why they create, the way they create without having, I would say, the, the corporate style judgment of art.”

The Gridiron and the Canvas: Redefining the Athlete

The conventional view of professional athletes often confines them to the field of play, but the NFL Artist Replay initiative, according to the league, is about intentionally breaking that mold.

“Utilizing our platform as a league to highlight amazing artists with a passion for football has become another important way for the league to connect with new fans and communities,” said Ian Trombetta, NFL senior vice president of social, influencer and content marketing, in the official league release.

Wilson is living proof of the necessity of this creative outlet, seeing the initiative as a vital space for players to nurture their intellectual and creative sides outside the intense pressure of their careers.

“I feel like it’s super important because a lot of people get caught up so much on what’s going on in the field. Even players, they get so caught up on what they’re doing in their sport,” he explained. “And I feel like some guys don’t have a chance to step back and really just, um, you know, work their creative side of the brain and do something outside of playing the sport.”

He even posits a theory that the two seemingly disparate worlds can feed each other.

“If more people had the opportunity to explore those creative opportunities, they would realize that it could also help them when they go back into their sport, whether it’s freeing your mind or just finding ways to make your game better just through whatever, whatever you learn through your creative experience,” Wilson suggested.

A Miami Homecoming

Despite growing up in the shadow of Art Basel, the annual global pilgrimage for art aficionados, Wilson confessed he was never a regular attendee.

“I never really went to Art Basel. I always looked at, truthfully, I always looked at Art Basel as just another one of those events where it brings a lot of, like, visitors to your city and now there’s a lot of traffic,” he joked. “I was just always just attracted to the art itself. I wasn’t aware until I got older and I was like, ‘Oh, okay. This is where Art Basel is.’ So this is cool.”

However, the reality of having his own original creation displayed in his hometown is far from just an abstract event—it’s a deeply meaningful validation.

“I think that’s amazing. And I feel like, has this been my first time having one of my art pieces put up in public like this, I feel like it’s only right. It’s in my hometown, so I feel like that’s great. And I just feel super blessed for that opportunity,” he said.

Unpacking the Art: City of God and Anime

When pressed to describe his Art Basel piece for someone who could not see it—a challenging prompt he initially found “tough”—Wilson revealed its powerful, underlying inspirations.

“The painting I have there is definitely inspired from the movie City of God… I got inspiration from one of the characters who was actually like the villain, supposed to be the villain in that movie.”

This dark, cinematic muse is balanced by a contemporary inspiration: anime.

“A lot of my stuff, I feel like, I gain a lot of inspiration from anime, truthfully,” he shared. Wilson, who first got into anime in elementary school, pays close attention to the visual language of the medium. “I would always like to watch or see how these animators would choose to animate, like, certain things, like, whether it’s a different body part or a different action. I would pay attention to these things and, you know, just honestly take notes while I’m watching to help me with my own, my own artwork.”

The young artist’s journey is entirely self-taught. “Truthfully, I’ve never gone to art school. I’ve never really had an art class. Everything I know is just my own knowledge.”

The Vulnerability of Expression

Wilson also cited the late Jean-Michel Basquiat, an iconic figure whose work was heavily influenced by his experiences as a Black man with immigrant parents, as a major inspiration.

“I love Basquiat. I feel like a lot of people try to emulate his art or, or, you know, take away from his actual art, but I love, obviously, his art, but I like his reasoning behind all the pieces he did. He did a lot of stuff that had to do with what was going on around his time,” Wilson said, appreciating Basquiat’s fusion of culture, commentary, and raw talent.

Sharing art, like sharing any piece of one’s inner world, is a form of vulnerability. For Wilson, this opportunity is a welcome release.

“It’s just cool for people to see my interests outside of football,” Wilson stated. “For a big part of my life, I’ve always been, you know, this artistic person, and doing this art, but, you know, the outside world, or the public eyes, unknown me, mostly for playing football. So it’s just, I just feel, I feel happy that people could see this.”

Ultimately, Wilson hopes his piece serves one primary purpose for the viewer: to ignite their own creative energy.

“I just want them to enjoy it in any way, shape or form. I hope it just brings some a sense of happiness, a sense of like interest. And like I said, again, I hope it just sparks some sort of creativity in them and inspires them to, you know, go do something creative themselves,” Wilson concluded. “Because I feel like a lot of the times when I’m creating or painting, it’s because I’ve been, I’ve been inspired too. So I want to spark that same emotion towards people.”

The NFL Artist Replay gallery is open to the public on Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7, in Wynwood. It will also feature a panel discussion, “The Creative Playbook: How NFL Athletes Are Transforming the Creative Scene,” with NFL Legends Brandon Marshall, Carl Banks, and Martellus Bennett, as well as a Miami Dolphins game day watch party. Wilson’s debut marks a shift in how professional athletes are seen, proving that for this cornerback, the most exciting plays are happening both on the turf and on the canvas.

To attend any of the public events, fans are encouraged to register at NFL.com/ArtistReplayEvents.