Arizona Cardinals

The club grew from the Morgan Athletic Club organized by Chris O’Brien in Chicago. Its name came from secondhand University of Chicago jerseys whose faded maroon color O’Brien described as cardinal red. The team’s official chronology dates the naming episode to 1901, while the Pro Football Hall of Fame traces the organization to 1898.⁠[1][2]

In 1920, the Cardinals joined the American Professional Football Association, which later became the NFL. They won their first NFL championship in 1925. The franchise was based in Chicago during this period, before its subsequent moves to other cities.⁠[1]

Ernie Nevers scored all 40 of the Cardinals’ points in a 40–6 victory over the Chicago BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL), competing in the NFC North. They play at Soldier Field in Chicago and are headquartered at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. The franchise originated as the Staley Starch Company's team in Decatur, Illinois, and joined the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the NFL, as a charter member on September 17, 1920. One of two surviving NFL charter franchises, the team adopted its current name in 1922. The Bears have won nine league championships, including Super Bowl XX following the 1985 season. The McCaskey family has controlled the team since founder George Halas died in 1983.Open the full entry in 1929. Charles W. Bidwill purchased the franchise in 1932, beginning the Bidwill family’s long association with the team.⁠[1]

The Cardinals, coached by Jimmy Conzelman, defeated the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are an NFL professional American football team founded in 1933 and competing in the NFC East. Based at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they won NFL championships in 1948, 1949 and 1960 and Super Bowls LII and LIX. Jeffrey Lurie purchased the franchise in 1994, and Nick Sirianni became head coach in 2021.Open the full entry 28–21 in the 1947 NFL Championship Game. Charles Bidwill had died before the championship season began. The team returned to the title game in 1948.⁠[1][2]

The franchise moved from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960 and retained the Cardinals name. Under Don Coryell, it won consecutive NFC East titles in 1974 and 1975, finishing the latter regular season at 11–3.⁠[1][2]

The team relocated to Arizona in 1988 as the Phoenix Cardinals and played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. In 1994, it became the Arizona Cardinals, adopting the state’s name instead of Phoenix.⁠[1]

Led by quarterback Jake Plummer, the Cardinals reached the playoffs in the 1998 season and defeated the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL), competing in the NFC East. Their home is AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and their headquarters are at The Star in Frisco. Founded by Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne, the team was approved by the NFL as its 13th franchise on January 28, 1960. It was sold to a partnership led by Bum Bright (H.R. Bright) in 1984 and acquired by Jerry Jones in 1989. The Cowboys have won five Super Bowls: VI (1972), XII (1978), XXVII (1993), XXVIII (1994) and XXX (1996).Open the full entry 20–7 on the road. It was the franchise’s first postseason victory since its 1947 championship.⁠[1][2]

The Cardinals opened their new Glendale stadium in 2006. Originally named University of Phoenix Stadium and now called State Farm Stadium, it features a retractable roof and a roll-out natural-grass field. It replaced Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe as the team’s home.⁠[1][2]

Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald were central to the offense during the 2008 season. Arizona won the NFC championship and reached Super Bowl XLIII, played in 2009, losing 27–23 to the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are an NFL professional American football team founded by Arthur J. Rooney in 1933. They compete in the AFC North and play at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally called the Pirates, they adopted the Steelers name in 1940 and won six Super Bowls under Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. Mike McCarthy became head coach in 2026.Open the full entry. In the following season’s playoffs, played in 2010, the Cardinals beat the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an NFL professional American football team formed in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1919 and admitted to the NFL’s predecessor, the APFA, in 1921. A community-owned nonprofit organization, they play at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and have won 13 NFL championships, including four Super Bowls.Open the full entry 51–45 in overtime.⁠[1][2]

Arizona won the NFC West at 13–3 in the 2015 season and advanced to the NFC Championship Game. In 2021, the Cardinals opened with seven consecutive wins and returned to the playoffs with an 11–6 record.⁠[2]

The Cardinals announced Mike LaFleur as head coach, succeeding Jonathan Gannon, on a five-year agreement. LaFleur had spent the previous three seasons as the Los Angeles RamsLos Angeles RamsThe Los Angeles Rams are an NFL professional American football team in the NFC West. They joined the NFL in Cleveland in 1937, later played in Los Angeles and St. Louis, and returned to the Los Angeles area in 2016. Their current home is SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Owned by Stan Kroenke and coached by Sean McVay, the Rams won the 1945 and 1951 NFL titles and Super Bowls XXXIV and LVI.Open the full entry’ offensive coordinator and had previously held that role with the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are an NFL professional American football team in the AFC East. Awarded an AFL franchise in 1959, they began play as the New York Titans in 1960 and adopted their current name in 1963. Joe Namath led them to victory in Super Bowl III. Owned by Robert Wood Johnson, the Jets share MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the Giants. Aaron Glenn became head coach in 2025.Open the full entry. Owner Michael Bidwill and general manager Monti Ossenfort explained the appointment in the team’s announcement.⁠[3]

The Arizona Cardinals are an NFL team. Arizona is the state represented by the name; the current home stadium is in Glendale. Chicago Cardinals, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball club in St. Louis, playing in Major League Baseball’s National League at Busch Stadium.Open the full entry and Phoenix Cardinals are former names of the same football franchise. In this context, St. Louis Cardinals refers to the football team, not the baseball club of that name.⁠[1][2][4]

Arizona Cardinals: Official website: https://www.azcardinals.com/ (opens in a new window) .⁠[5]

Arizona Cardinals: X: https://x.com/AZCardinals (opens in a new window) .⁠[2]

Arizona Cardinals: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/@azcardinals (opens in a new window) .⁠[5]

Arizona Cardinals: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arizona-cardinals-football-club/ (opens in a new window) .⁠[2]