National Football League
Arizona Cardinals
NFC/West
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Cardinals History
Honored as the oldest franchise in the NFL and as one of the originators of organized football, the roots of the franchise known as the Cardinals goes back to a South Side part of Chicago and was acquired by Painting and Decorating contractor Chris O'Brien. The name Cardinals originates from used jerseys O'Brien bought from the University of Chicago that were faded maroon which O'Brien promptly declared "That's not maroon, it's Cardinal Red!" The nickname stuck and soon they team was playing as The Racine Cardinals. In 1920, the Franchise pays $100.00 to join a new league which ultimately became the National Football League. The Franchise soon moved to Chicago and shared their field with the Chicago Tigers who were in the AFL only one season.
The team would remain in Chicago until WWII forced the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cardinals to merge into the Card-Pitt for a single season, in 1944. The team returned to Chicago in 1945 and stayed put until 1959 when new owner Violet Bidwell decided to move the team to St. Louis. The team also posted only one winning season in 10 in the Chicago area and the franchise felt that they would forever be the "other" Chicago team, a reference to the now Chicago Bears.
After scouting cities across the nation, Violet Bidwell decided on St. Louis after a study showed that the city would be able to sustain the franchise. The team would share Sportsmen's Park (Now Busch Stadium) with the MLB team St. Louis Cardinals. The team played there for 5-years until moving into the new Busch Stadium where they would play for 21-years. The franchise would remain happy in St. Louis until the late 80's when the team went through a particularly bad stretch. Attendance dwindled and the franchise began raising the issue of the age of Busch Stadium. Then the 1987 season began with a players strike that further agitated the franchise. Before the team left, Owner Bill Bidwell would be forced to forego the final three games of the season as he received numerous threats against his life. Following the 7-8 season, the team left for the deserts of Arizona.
The 1988 season opened up in Phoenix with the team playing at Sun Devil Stadium. The team would remain rooted for only 5 years as the franchise decides to market itself to the entire state instead of just the city of Phoenix. They change names again this time to the current Arizona Cardinals in the 1994 season.
The 1994 season opened with a new coach Buddy Ryan and but the teams mediocre play lands them with an 8-8 record. Four seasons later, in 1998 the team finds themselves in the playoffs with an 8-7 record, clinching their first playoff birth in 16-years. The Wildcard Playoff game matched the Cards against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals upset the favored Cowboys 20-7. In the Division Championships, the Cardinals would meet up with the high powered offense of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings would exploit the inexperienced Cardinals team thrashing them 41-21.
Between 1999 and 2006 the team would extol mediocrity as they rack up a 37-91(.312). In the meantime, they team would lose a player to the war in Iraq, (2001 U. S. Army Special Forces Sgt. Pat Tillman) who was killed in a fire fight near the Afghan- Pakistan border and be realigned into the NFC West 15 seasons after moving out west.. The team would acquire the All Time Rushing Leader Emmitt Smith from the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 and move into the new University of Phoenix Stadium in 2006.
In 2007, a newness was in the air as the Franchise hired Ken Whisenhunt as the new Head Coach and veteran QB Kurt Warner would reclaim the starting job from journeyman Matt Leinart and would bounce the team back to post the best record they have had in nine seasons and setting up the next season for a super bowl run.
The Arizona Cardinals have made the playoffs 2 times in 21 seasons and have won their division 1 time (2008). They have won their conference 1 time (2008) The team has yet to win a Super Bowl.
The team has had no Hall of Famers on their rosters.
The team has retired 5 jerseys: #8 Larry Wilson, #40 Pat Tillman, # 77 Stan Mauldin, # 88 J.V. Cain and #99 Marshall Goldberg.
Team awards include a Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996 Simeon Rice) and a Offensive Rookie of the Year (2003 Anquan Boldin).
| Arizona Professional & College Sports Teams and Events | |
|---|---|
| NBA Phoenix Suns | NHL Phoenix Coyotes |
| MLB Arizona Diamondbacks | Arizona State Sun Devils Football |
| Arizona State Sun Devils Basketball | Insight Bowl |
| Fiesta Bowl | |
| Stadium Seating Chart |
|---|
University of Phoenix Stadium
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