ClutchPoints
The Arizona Cardinals have high hopes for the 2025 season, and a lot of their success may hinge on the player under the most pressure. Also, safety Budda Baker is excited about the team’s chances. As for the history of the organization, here are the 10 greatest Cardinals teams of all time.
The franchise started as the Chicago Cardinals way back in 1920. The team finished fourth in a 14-team league. The Cardinals stayed in Chicago until moving to St. Louis in 1960. From there, they became the Phoenix Cardinals in 1988. And finally, the Arizona Cardinals arrived in 1995.
Along the way, they’ve had some good teams. Perhaps not as many as other franchises, but still their share of decent football here and there.
So away we go!
Who knows if this even counts as a greatest team? Football wasn’t the same back in those days. Tougher? Maybe. Helmets weren’t even mandatory. And the ones they got were made of leather. You get the idea.
Still, the team went 11-2-1 in the regular season. But the title came with controversy. There was a dispute about the type of team the Cardinals played in one game. But still, the NFL recognizes them as champions. So we’ll give them No. 10 just to be nice.
After an 11-1 regular season, the Cardinals battled the Eagles in the NFL Championship. As was the case many times in those days, scoring came at a premium — especially in a snowstorm. Neither team managed anything until the fourth quarter.
Steve Van Buren’s 5-yard run turned out to be the difference. He finished with 98 yards on 26 attempts.
Battling their way through a 9-3 regular season, capped by beating the crosstown rival Bears for the second time, the Cardinals earned a shot at the Eagles for the NFL Championship.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 14-0 lead before the Eagles rallied to within 21-14 in the third quarter. However, the Cardinals got a 70-yard scoring run from Elmer Angsman and eventually earned a 28-21 decision. Thanks in a big way to that run, Angsman finished with 159 yards on 10 carries and two scores.
This gives an idea of how thin the Cardinals’ history is. Off to 6-0 start, the Cardinals appeared to be headed for a great season. However, Carson Palmer was lost for the season with an injury. His backup, Drew Stanton, went down after eight games. That put third-stringer Ryan Lindley in the mix, and he got the starting call in the playoffs. It was one of only six starts in his three-year NFL career.
Cam Newton and the Panthers beat the Cardinals, 27-16, in the Wild Card round. Lindley passed for only 82 yards with a pick. He did manage a TD pass, and the Cardinals actually led, 14-13, at halftime.
This team stole a...
