The Red Sea (also known as Bird Gang) is a nickname that refers to fans of the Arizona Cardinals. [1] The Cardinals have utilized this term since the early 1990s following their relocation to Phoenix from St. Louis. [2] [3] [4] The Cardinals currently hold the longest active title drought in professional sports; despite this, fans have shown their devotion as the team made numerous playoff pushes during the late 2000s and through the 2010s. [5] [6] [7] [8]
In 2001, former Cardinals' safety Pat Tillman paused his NFL career to serve in the United States Army, he was later tragically killed in the line of service on April 22, 2004. Following Tillman's death, the Cardinals honored him through numerous memorials and retired his jersey. Tillman's death also strengthened the team's relationship with members of the armed forces community as the team frequently provides discounts to military personnel and frequently markets "salute to service" merchandise to honor servicemen. [9] [10] Despite Arizona's transplant population in support of other football teams, the Cardinals fanbase has steadily grown since their relocation from St. Louis in 1988. [11] [12] [13] [14]
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play their home games at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, a suburb northwest of Phoenix.
Patrick Daniel Tillman Jr. was an American professional football player for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) who left his sports career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. His service in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his subsequent death, received national attention, especially so when it was discovered he had been killed by friendly fire.
Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer is an American former professional football quarterback who played 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Plummer was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft, spending six seasons with the Cardinals and then four with the Denver Broncos.
Michael Bidwill is an American businessman who is the principal owner, chairman, and president of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). After practicing law for six years as a federal prosecutor, he joined the Arizona Cardinals organization in 1996 as vice president and general counsel.
"The Greatest Show on Turf" was a nickname for the high-flying offense of the St. Louis Rams during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 National Football League (NFL) seasons. The offense was designed by attack-oriented offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz who mixed an aerial attack and a run offense in an Air Coryell-style offense. The Rams' offense during these three seasons produced record scoring and yardage, three NFL MVP honors, and two Super Bowl appearances and one championship. In 2000, the team set an NFL record with 7,335 total offensive yards. Of those, 5,492 were passing yards, also an NFL team record.
Fork Union Military Academy is a private, all-male, college preparatory Christian military boarding school located in Fork Union, Virginia. Founded in 1898, Fork Union is considered one of the premier military boarding academies in the United States.
Charles Anthony Tillman, nicknamed "Peanut", is an American former football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft.
Jeremy Ray Staat is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman and offensive lineman who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998 through 2000 and the St. Louis Rams for two games in 2003. He also played for the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League (AFL). After his football career, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq. On September 17, 2019, Staat, a registered Republican, announced his candidacy for Congress in California's 8th District.
The 2006 season was the Chicago Bears' 87th season in the National Football League, and the third under head coach Lovie Smith. The team improved on their 11–5 record from 2005 and finished with a 13–3 record; the best in the NFC. The Bears retained their NFC North divisional title, and won the NFC Championship against the New Orleans Saints on January 21, 2007. The Bears played the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI, where they lost 29–17. The team finished the 2006 NFL season tied for second in points scored, and third in points allowed.
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
This article details the history of the Arizona Cardinals American football club, which can be traced to the 1898 formation of the amateur Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago. The Cardinals are the oldest extant professional football club in the United States, and along with the Chicago Bears, are one of two charter members of the National Football League still in existence. The franchise moved from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960 and to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988.
Zachary Christian Walz is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted with the 5th pick of the 6th round and played four seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. He was named as the starting outside linebacker his second and third years before season ending injuries cut both seasons and ultimately his career, short. Walz was a 3-year starter at Dartmouth, a 3-time Unanimous 1st Team All-Ivy Selection, Team Captain and currently sits third all time for tackles in a career with 356. He attended Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California. He currently resides in Arizona with his wife, Annette and kids. Walz had a close relationship with Cardinals teammate and future army member Pat Tillman. They both grew up playing high school football in Northern California where they would eventually play against each other in a senior all star game. Pat and Zack were drafted one round apart in 1998. They were roommates during their time together with the Arizona Cardinals. During his rookie year, Walz didn't bring the veterans breakfast as instructed and was subsequently taped to a goal post. Tillman saw this, grabbed scissors, walked outside, and despite being told by veterans not to help, he cut Walz down. This story was the subject of commentary by Coach Dave McGinnis in “Pat Tillman: A Football Life”
The 2004 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 85th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 106th overall and their 17th in Arizona. The team finished with a 6–10 record, an improvement on their 4–12 record from the previous season, and finished in third place in the NFC West, failing to make the playoffs for the sixth straight season. Season lows for the Cardinals included losing two games to the San Francisco 49ers, the only two games the 49ers won in 2004. The Cardinals, during Week 9, also defeated the Miami Dolphins for the first time in franchise history.
Joshua Ballinger Lippincott Rosen is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He previously played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. Rosen played college football for the UCLA Bruins, receiving Freshman All-American and Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2015. During his junior year, Rosen set the school's record for single-season passing yards.
Isaiah Simmons is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals eighth overall in the 2020 NFL draft. While at Clemson, Simmons was noted for his positional versatility as he played linebacker, defensive end, cornerback and safety.
The Pat Tillman Foundation is a non-profit organization created in 2004 by friends and family of former Arizona Cardinals safety turned U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman, including his widow Marie Tillman, in the aftermath of his fratricide death in Afghanistan. In honor of his death, The Pat Tillman Foundation was created. The foundation supports the education and leadership development of veterans and military spouses primarily through its Tillman Scholars program. The annual Pat's Run held in Tempe, Arizona since 2005 regularly draws over 25,000 participants in a 4.2 mile walk/run that finishes on the 42 yard line of Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium and helps fund scholarships and programs for Tillman Scholars.
The Bears–Cardinals rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Arizona Cardinals. It is the oldest rivalry in the NFL and features the only two teams that remain from the league's inception in 1920. At that time, the Bears were known as the Decatur Staleys, and the Cardinals were the Racine Cardinals. In 1922, both teams moved to Chicago, and the matchup between the teams became known as "The Battle of Chicago" for 38 years, making it the first true rivalry in the league's history.
The Cardinals–Seahawks rivalry is an American football rivalry between the National Football League (NFL)'s Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. This is one of the newer rivalries in the NFL, emerging in the early 2000s, as the two teams only became rivals after both were relocated to the NFC West as a result of the league's realignment in 2002. This rivalry has become one of the NFL's more bitter in recent years, as the mid-to-late 2010s often saw the Seahawks and Cardinals squaring off for NFC West supremacy.
The Cardinals–Rams rivalry is an American football rivalry between the National Football League (NFL)'s Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams. One of the oldest matchups in the league, the two teams met for the first time during the NFL's infancy in 1937 back when the Cardinals were located in Chicago, and the Rams in Cleveland. State Farm Stadium and SoFi Stadium are only 375 miles apart, mostly along I-10. The Rams lead the series 50–40–2. The teams met twice in the playoffs, two Rams wins in the 1975 NFC Divisional Round and the 2021 NFC Wild Card Round. Both teams were also previously based in St. Louis and left to play in the Western United States.
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