Dominate Arizona Cardinals since 1898

Learn the entire history of the Arizona Cardinals, the oldest franchise in the history of the NFL- their years of existence in Chicago, the years in St. Louis, their move to Arizona, their stars, such as Larry Fitzgerald, and their road to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond.

Origins and Early Years (1898–1920)

• 1898 – Morgan Athletic Club (Chicago):

The oldest professional football team in the United States that is still operating is the franchise located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started as an amateur neighborhood group and was founded by the local painting and decorating business owner, Chris O’Brien.

• Name “Cardinals”:

In 1901, O’Brien purchased used uniforms at the University of Chicago that were worn-out in the maroon color. He christened the name Cardinal red, and the title remained: Racine Cardinals (named after Racine Avenue in Chicago where they played).

• Pre-NFL Play:

The team used to play local Chicago leagues, where it usually competed with other semi-pro and independent teams.

NFL Founding Member (1920–1939)

1920 -American Professional Football Association (APFA):

The Cardinals joined the inaugural membership of the National Football League (NFL).

• 1920s Success:

o In 1925, The Cardinals clinched a contest to the NFL championship but this was not a smooth sail as the Pottsville Maroons were suspended towards the end of the season.

o In the roster of the 1920s, there were early stars such as a Hall of Fame quarterback, Paddy Driscoll.

• Struggles in the 1930s:

The Cardinals had genuine problems with money and on-field performance, in spite of being one of the founding members. They were usually the second fiddle to more successful Chicago Bears.

Chicago Cardinals Era (1940–1959)

• 1940s Resurgence:

The Cardinals developed a good roster under coach Jimmy Conzelman during World War II.

• 1947 NFL Championship:

The Cardinals, headed by the legendary Million Dollar Backfield (Paul Christman, Charley Trippi, Pat Harder and Marshall Goldberg) topped the Philadelphia Eagles 28-21 to capture their second NFL title, the first championship of their careers that was not contested.

• 1948 NFL Championship Game:

They made it back to the championship game but they were defeated by the Eagles in a snow storm.

• Decline in the 1950s:

Following a moment of success, the team had problems again in terms of low attendance and loss of finances. They were not capable of competing with the Bears to win the market of the football in Chicago.

Move to St. Louis (1960–1987)

• Relocation:

In 1960 Violet Bidwill Wolfner, the owner, transferred the franchise to St. Louis, Missouri and became the St. Louis Cardinals (also known as the Big Red to prevent confusion with the MLB team).

• Early Years:

The team competed in Busch Stadium with both positive and negative outcomes.

• Coryell Era (1973–1977):

Head coach Don Coryell had an exciting running team called the Cardiac cardinals due to close match games.

o Stars were QB Jim Hart, RB Terry Metcalf and WR Mel Gray.

o The Cardinals claimed NFC East championships in 1974 and 1975 and did not make it to the deepest playoffs.

• Late 1970s & 1980s:

The team started dwindling in poor decisions in drafting and patchy play and the fans stopped following it.

 

Move to Arizona (1988–present)

• Relocation to the Desert:

The franchise relocated to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988, where it became the Phoenix Cardinals.

o Low attendance and the absence of a permanent stadium were initially damaging revenue; they were hosted at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

• Name Change:

The team changed their identity to Arizona Cardinals in the year 1994 in order to represent the whole state.

 

Struggles in the 1990s

• Although there were some bright spots such as Larry Centers, Aeneas Williams, and Eric Swann, Cardinals were usually one of the worst teams in the league.
• 1998 Playoff Appearance:

Coach Vince Tobin led them to playoffs as it had not been in 1982, and won their first postseason game in 51 years, beating Dallas Cowboys.

 

Larry Fitzgerald Era and Super Bowl Run (2000-2010).

• 2003: The Cardinals employed Dennis Green as a head coach to reestablish the franchise and drafted Larry Fitzgerald in 2004 who was one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL.
• University of Phoenix Stadium (2006):

The team relocated to a state of the art stadium in Glendale, Arizona which offered a long term residence and better earnings.

• Ken Whisenhunt & Kurt Warner (2007–2009):

Kurt Warner, the veteran QB, headed a high-powered offense and included Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

o 2008 Season:

• The Cardinals became the bane of the league by clinching the NFC West with a 9–7 record.
• They had a remarkable playoff run and they defeated Atlanta, Carolina, and Philadelphia to make it to Super Bowl XLIII, the first Super Bowl in the history of the franchise.
• They were beaten 27-23 in a dramatic game with Pittsburgh steelers although Fitzgerald gave a historic performance.

 

Post-Warner Era (2010–2012)

• Warner went out in the 2009 season, and he left a gap in the quarterback position. The Cardinals experienced a few years of poor performance with inconsistent QB performances.

 

Bruce Arians Era (2013–2017)

• 2013: Bruce Arians replaced the head coach and brought a sense of stability and aggressive offense.
• 2015 Season:

Under the leadership of QB Carson Palmer, RB David Johnson, and a solid defense, the Cardinals had a record of 13-3, a NFC West championship, and made it to the NFC Championship Game, but lost to the Carolina Panthers.

• Arians left the field after the 2017 season.

 

The Kyler Murray Era (2019–present)

• 2019 Draft: The Cardinals took Kyler Murray at first, a dual-threat QB that was viewed as the new backbone of the franchise.
• Kliff Kingsbury Era (2019–2022):

o The Cardinals continued to improve with a record of 11 of 6 and a spot at playoffs in 2021 but were defeated against Los Angeles Rams.

• Recent Developments (2023–2024):

o Rebuilding phases were caused by injuries to Murray and turnover of the roster.

o In 2023, New GM Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon were employed to restart the franchise.

Franchise Records & Legacy

• Titles: 2 (1925, 1947) -1925 title is still in dispute.
• Super Bowl Appeals: 1 (2008 season, defeated by Steelers).
• Some of the most recognized Hall of Famers: Larry Wilson, Aeneas Williams, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald (anticipated), Charley Trippi, Dan Dierdorf among others.
• Distinction:

o The Cardinals have the longest running professional football team in the United States.

o They have competed in more cities (Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix/Arizona) than their NFL counterparts.

Current Outlook (2025)

The Cardinals are in the restructuring phase with the focus on Kyler Murray, young players, such as WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024 draft pick), and a coach-oriented mindset. The franchise has a track record of strength and transformation as it strives to get a long-awaited Super Bowl victory.

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