The Arizona Cardinals. Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The oldest team in terms of continuous operation in pro football history, the Arizona Cardinals have been around for quite some time. From their start in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club to their time in Chicago, St. Louis, and now Arizona, the Cardinals have seen it all. They’ve been underdogs, contenders, and everything in between. But through it all, their loyal fans have remained a constant. The “Red Sea” always shows up to keep the players motivated and push the team forward.
In this article, we take a red flight into the incredible history of a team older than even the NFL.
From Morgan Athletic Club to Chicago Cardinals
For the Cardinals, it all began in 1898 when Chris O’Brien acquired the Morgan Athletic Club which was simply a neighborhood group that gathered to play football. O’Brien then moved the team to Racine Avenue where they stayed until 1922. When it comes to names though, the Cardinals have enjoyed plenty of it. They have borne several names, including the Morgan Athletic Club, Racine Normals, Racine Cardinals, Chicago Cardinals, Card-Pitt (due to the temporary merger with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1944), St. Louis Cardinals, Phoenix Cardinals, and the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (now NFL) in 1920. They and the Chicago Bears are the only two active teams from the inaugural season. Life in the NFL came with immediate challenges, including a battle for territorial rights in Chicago, where the Cardinals had to face off against the Chicago Tigers on the gridiron to stake their claim.
In 1925, the Cardinals won their first championship. Though marked by controversy, it was their first major statement in the league, and they hoped it would be the start of many more. However, that success was short-lived, as the team soon endured several seasons of lackluster performances. In 1947 though, they claimed the championship title once more as they secured a hard-fought 28-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
During that 1947 season, the Cardinals had the “Dream Backfield” to thank for the team’s impressive performances. The Dream Backfield consisted of Hall of Famer Charley Trippi, along with Pat Harder, Paul Christman, Marshall Goldberg, and Elmer Angsman. Under the leadership of Hall of Fame head coach Jimmy Conzelman, the unit thrived in the T-formation, maximizing its incredible offensive firepower.
Move to Arizona
When the Cardinals moved to St. Louis, following the formation of the AFL in 1960, one of their nicknames was the “Big Red.” But on the gridiron, they weren’t quite as big as they should have been. Things just didn’t seem to click for them. In the mid-1970s, however, they once again became serious championship challengers. They won the NFC East division title in 1974 and 1975 but failed to go past the first round of the playoffs in each of those years.
In 1988, the team moved to Arizona and officially became the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. Four years later, they recorded their first playoff win since 1947 by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 20-7 in the wildcard round. Their playoff run that season came to an end when the Minnesota Vikings routed them 41-21 in the divisional round.
Super Bowl XLIII Run
After a series of inconsistent seasons, the Cardinals had what seemed like a break of day. They signed Super Bowl champion Kurt Warner in 2005. Warner, at 34 years, was already in the closing stages of his career so not a lot was expected. But he had one more in him, helping the team into Super Bowl XLIII. On their path to the Super Bowl, they took no prisoners as they steamrolled past the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, and the Eagles.
Super Bowl XLIII was one hell of a game, one that was only decided in the final seconds—the Cardinals still feel the sting of that heartbreaking loss. In the game, the Cardinals fought tooth and nail, staging a stunning fourth-quarter comeback that had victory within reach. Down 20-7 as the final period began, Arizona came alive—forcing a safety and then unleashing Larry Fitzgerald, whose 64-yard touchdown gave the crowd something to cheer about. And with that, the Cardinals had their first lead of the game with just over two minutes left on the clock.
In that brief moment, it felt like destiny. But the dream slipped away in heartbreaking fashion. Santonio Holmes and the Steelers answered back, marching 78 yards down the field. With just 35 seconds left, Holmes made a toe-tap catch in the end zone, sealing a 27-23 win for the Steelers.
Hail Larry
On the strength of the historic 2008 season, the Cardinals made giant strides the following season, registering 10 wins for the first time in a 16-game season. They clinched their second consecutive NFC West title but fell to Super Bowl-bound New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. In 2013, they recorded another 10-win season before finishing with a franchise-best 13-3 season in 2015.
During those years, Fitzgerald remained a mainstay for the team. One of his most insane performances was in the 2015 divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. It was a game that had so many jaw-dropping moments, especially. With under two minutes left, the Cardinals kicked a go-ahead field goal but Aaron Rodgers responded. He pulled off the impossible, converting a 4th-and-20 and then launching a Hail Mary touchdown to Jeff Janis as time expired.
Once the Cardinals got the ball in overtime, Fitzgerald took over. On the first play, quarterback Carson Palmer escaped pressure and found Fitzgerald, who weaved through defenders for 75 yards to the five-yard line. Moments later, it was pure magic on showing again as Fitzgerald sealed the game with a shovel pass touchdown, sending the Cardinals to the NFC Championship Game. Rodgers’ miraculous Hail Mary and Fitzgerald’s game-winning heroics gave the game its name, “Hail Larry.”
More recently, the brightest spark for the Cardinals has been their first overall 2019 draft pick—Kyler Murray, who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. In 2021, he led the team to a phenomenal 7-0 start but since then, the fans have not had many positives to feed on. Still, hope remains in Arizona, with the belief that they can challenge again.
Team Achievements
| Titles | Number of Times Won |
| NFL Championship | 2 |
| Conference Championship | 1 |
| Division Championship | 7 |
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