The speed of Jackie Smith earned him a late-round selection (10^th Round) in 1963 by St. Louis, who converted the Flanker into Tight End.

Smith was an excellent blocker, but his receiving skills helped transform the position, and he amassed 7,918 Yards with 40 Touchdowns from the air.  He also earned five consecutive Pro Bowl Selections (1966-70).

Notably, Smith also served as the Cardinals Punter for his first three years.

He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

The Cardinals have been blessed with phenomenal Defensive Backs, haven’t they?

With Patrick Peterson's arrival in 2011, Peterson followed along the Cardinals' tradition of great DBs, and among them all, he had the best rookie year.  Winning the starting job at Right Corner, Peterson was a Pro Bowl Selection for his Punt Returning, having returned four for Touchdowns and leading the NFL in Punt Return Yards.

Peterson moved to the left side as a sophomore, staying there until his departure.  He went to the next seven Pro Bowls, adding two more First Team All-Pros (He was one as a rookie) and was still doing duties as a Punt Returner.  Arizona was up and down during Peterson's tenure, but through his career, they had no worries at Left Corner. 

Peterson’s lengthy tenure with Arizona concluded when he signed with Minnesota in 2021.  With the Cards, Peterson recorded 28 Interceptions and 499 Tackles.

The Professional Football career of Aeneas Williams was extraordinary, as he was a walk-on at Southern during his junior year and two years later would be a third round pick.

Williams was not on anyone's radar for greatness, but that is what he became in a career that began with the Cardinals.  Winning the starting Cornerback on the right side, Williams was an All-Rookie with six picks and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year honors.  The team moved him to the left side, where he was named a Pro Bowler six years in a row (1994-99), with First Team All-Pro honors coming in 1995 and 1997.  Williams also led the NFL in Interceptions in 1994 (9) and had 55 over his career, 44 as a Cardinal.

The rebuilding Cards would trade Williams to the St. Louis Rams, where he would win a Super Bowl.

Williams entered the Cardinals Ring of Honor in 2008 and got the Pro Football Hall of Fame call in 2014.

Considered to be the best Offensive Lineman in Cardinals history, Dan Dierdorf was the game’s premier Tackle in the 1970s.

A Cardinal throughout his 13 NFL seasons, Dierdorf settled into the Right Tackle slot in his fourth year.  The move was perfect for Dierdorf, who would earn Pro Bowl accolades that year and the next four, with a sixth one in 1980.  Dierdorf was named an All-Pro (three First and three Second Team) in all those Pro Bowl seasons.  He was so good at his peak that in 1976 and 1977, he did not allow a single sack.

Dierdorf, who was born in Canton, would fittingly enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

The Cardinals also honored Dierdorf in 2006 as a member of the inaugural group in their Ring of Honor.