Arizona Cardinals

Lore & Background

The franchise dates to 1898, when a neighborhood group gathered to play on the South Side of Chicago, calling themselves the Morgan Athletic Club. The team became the Racine Street Cardinals and in 1920 became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), later renamed the NFL. The Cardinals have won two NFL championships, both while in Chicago: a disputed title in 1925 and a championship game victory in 1947. They moved to St. Louis in 1960, then to Arizona in 1988. In the 2008 postseason, the Cardinals won the NFC Championship Game and reached Super Bowl XLIII, losing 27–23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Their Own Story

The lights at Bank of America Stadium hummed with a nervous energy on a frigid January night. The crowd was deafening, a sea of blue and black chanting for one last shot at glory. On the field, Jake Delhomme wiped sweat from his brow, staring down the Arizona offense that had been their nemesis for years. The air smelled of cold grass and anticipation. As the Cardinals lined up, the weight of history pressed on every shoulder pad; this wasn't just another game, it was a rematch of a destiny denied.

Reader's Guide

The Cardinals have won five division titles (1974, 1975, 2008, 2009, and 2015) since their 1947–48 NFL championship game appearances. They are the only NFL team that has never lost a playoff game at home: their 5–0 record encompasses the 1947 NFL Championship Game, two games during the 2008–09 NFL playoffs, one during the 2009–10 playoffs, and one during the 2015–16 playoffs. In their 37 seasons since moving to Arizona in 1988, the Cardinals have a total of six playoff appearances, three division titles, and one NFC championship.

Did You Know?

• The Cardinals are the oldest continuously run professional football franchise in the United States.
• Along with the Chicago Bears, the Cardinals are the only NFL charter member franchises still in operation.
• The Cardinals have the longest active championship drought in North American sports at 78 seasons as of 2025.
• The team's all-time win–loss record at the conclusion of the 2025 season was 603–836–41.