History of Arizona Cardinals in Timeline
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team located in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They compete in the NFL as part of the NFC West division. Their home games are played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
1901: Name Change to Racine Street Cardinals
In 1901, the team was renamed the Racine Street Cardinals after acquiring used jerseys from the University of Chicago and describing the color as "Cardinal red".
September 17, 1920: Joined NFL as Charter Member
On September 17, 1920, the team joined the NFL as a charter member, marking a significant milestone in their history.
1920: Charter Member of APFA
In 1920, the team became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA).
1920: NFL Formation
In 1920, the team became part of the National Football League, marking their entry into professional football.
1922: Name Change to Chicago Cardinals
In 1922, the team changed their name to the Chicago Cardinals to avoid confusion with the Horlick-Racine Legion.
1925: Awarded NFL Championship (Controversial)
In 1925, the Cardinals were awarded the NFL Championship after the Pottsville Maroons were suspended, leading to controversy.
1925: NFL Championship Win (Disputed)
In 1925, the Cardinals won their first NFL championship, which was disputed by supporters of the Pottsville Maroons.
1944: Temporary Merger
In 1944, the team temporarily merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a shortage of players during World War II.
1947: NFL Championship Win
In 1947, the Cardinals secured their second NFL championship, marking their first title won in a championship game.
1947: NFL Finals Win Against Philadelphia Eagles
In 1947, the team won the NFL finals against the Philadelphia Eagles.
1947: Introduction of Cardinal Bird Logo
Starting in 1947, the team adopted a logo featuring a cardinal bird perched on the laces of a football.
1947: Last Postseason Win Before 1998
The Cardinals got their first postseason win since 1947, when they defeated the Dallas Cowboys 20-7 in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
1948: NFL Championship Game Loss
In 1948, the Cardinals lost in the NFL Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles.
1959: Pre-Relocation Era
In 1959, the team was in a pre-relocation phase before moving to St. Louis.
1964: Won the Playoff Bowl
In 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals won the Playoff Bowl against the Green Bay Packers with a score of 24–17.
1970: AFL-NFL Merger
Since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, the Cardinals won their only NFC Championship Game in 2008.
1974: Playoff Appearance
In 1974, the St. Louis Cardinals made a playoff appearance.
1975: Playoff Appearance
In 1975, the St. Louis Cardinals made a playoff appearance.
1982: Cardinal Head on Jersey Sleeve
From 1982, the cardinal head on the helmet also appeared on the sleeve of the white jersey.
1982: Playoff Appearance
In 1982, the St. Louis Cardinals made a playoff appearance.
1987: Agreement to Move to Phoenix
Not long after the end of the 1987 NFL season, Bill Bidwill agreed to move the team to Phoenix.
1988: Move to the Valley of the Sun
In 1988, the Cardinals relocated to the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix Metropolitan Area).
1990: Introduction of Red Pants
In 1990, the team began wearing red pants with their white jerseys, emulating the Washington Redskins.
March 17, 1994: Name Change to Arizona Cardinals
On March 17, 1994, the team officially changed their name to the Arizona Cardinals.
1994: 75th-Anniversary Throwback Uniforms
In 1994, the Cardinals participated in the NFL's 75th-anniversary throwback uniform program, wearing jerseys similar to those of the 1920s Chicago Cardinals.
1995: End of Cardinal Head on Jersey Sleeve
The cardinal head on the helmet also appeared on the sleeve of the white jersey until 1995.
1996: Hired Vince Tobin as Head Coach
In 1996, Vince Tobin was hired as the head coach of the Cardinals, leading the team to a 7-9 record in his first season.
1996: Arizona Flag Moved Higher on Sleeve
In 1996, the state flag of Arizona was moved higher on the sleeve after the Cardinal head was eliminated, and black was replaced with blue as an accent color.
1997: Team Regressed with a 4-12 Record
In 1997, the team regressed with a 4-12 record.
1998: Playoff Berth and Postseason Win
In 1998, the Cardinals qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 16 years and secured their first postseason win since 1947.
1999: Regressed to a 6-10 Record
In 1999, the Cardinals regressed to a 6-10 record.
2000: Tobin Fired, McGinnis Finishes Season
In 2000, Vince Tobin was fired after a 2-5 start, and Dave McGinnis finished the season as head coach.
2000: Franchise Record for Worst Record
In 2000, the Cardinals tied the franchise record for the worst record in a 16-game season.
2001: McGinnis Named Full-Time Head Coach
Prior to the 2001 season, Dave McGinnis was named the full-time head coach of the Cardinals.
2002: Began Wearing All-Red and All-White Combinations
In 2002, the Cardinals began to wear all-red and all-white combinations.
2003: McGinnis Fired After Season
Following the 2003 season, Dave McGinnis was fired as head coach of the Cardinals.
2004: Hired Dennis Green as Head Coach
Prior to the 2004 season, the Cardinals hired Dennis Green as their head coach.
2004: Continued Wearing All-Red and All-White Combinations
Through 2004, the Cardinals continued to wear all-red and all-white uniform combinations.
2005: Training Camp in Prescott
In 2005, the Cardinals conducted their annual summer training camp in Prescott, Arizona.
2005: Major Uniform Changes
In 2005, the team unveiled its first major uniform changes in a century, updating the cardinal-head logo and reintroducing black as an accent color.
2006: Green Fired Following Season
Dennis Green was fired following the 2006 season after coaching the team to three consecutive losing seasons.
2006: Moved to Glendale, Arizona
In 2006, the team relocated to their current home field in Glendale, Arizona.
2007: Ken Whisenhunt Hired as Head Coach
Prior to the 2007 season, the Cardinals hired Ken Whisenhunt as head coach, leading the team to an 8-8 record in his first season.
2008: Super Bowl XLIII Appearance
In 2008, the Cardinals made it to Super Bowl XLIII.
2008: NFC Championship & Super Bowl Appearance
In 2008, the Cardinals won their only NFC Championship Game since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, advancing to Super Bowl XLIII.
2009: Second Consecutive NFC West Title
In 2009, the Cardinals clinched their second consecutive NFC West title but were defeated by the New Orleans Saints in the divisional playoffs.
2012: Whisenhunt Fired
After the 2012 season, the Cardinals fired head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
2012: Final Training Camp in Flagstaff
In 2012, the Cardinals conducted their annual summer training camp at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff for the last time (except 2005).
2013: Moved Training Camp to State Farm Stadium
In 2013, the Cardinals moved their training camp to State Farm Stadium, then known as University of Phoenix Stadium.
2013: Arians Hired as Head Coach
Prior to the 2013 season, Bruce Arians was hired as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
2014: Playoff Appearance as a Wild Card
In 2014, the Cardinals made the playoffs as a wild card, setting a record for the best regular-season record in Arizona at 11-5.
2015: Last Postseason Appearance Before 2021
The 2021 season marks the first time the Cardinals made it to the postseason since 2015.
2018: 3-13 Season Record and Wilks Hired/Fired
In 2018, the team had a 3-13 record, tying the franchise record for the worst record in a 16-game season, also Steve Wilks was hired and fired.
2019: Kingsbury Hired & Murray Drafted
In 2019, Kliff Kingsbury was hired as head coach and Kyler Murray was drafted as the top overall pick.
2021: Return to Postseason
In 2021, the Cardinals went 11–6, returning to the postseason for the first time since 2015, but lost in the Wild Card round.
2022: 4-13 Season Record & Kingsbury Fired
In 2022, the Cardinals went 4-13, leading to Kliff Kingsbury being fired as head coach.
2023: 4-13 Season Record under Gannon
In 2023, under first year head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals finished with a 4-13 record.
2024: Championship Drought and Loss Records
As of 2024, the Cardinals hold the longest active championship drought in North American sports at 77 seasons, and have recorded the most losses by a franchise in NFL history with 812 regular season losses.
