Before the "Air Coryell" offenses of the mid-1970s captivated the football world, the trench work in St. Louis was anchored by a quiet, unheralded draft steal out of Illinois. Selected in the 13th round (176th overall) of the 1961 NFL Draft, Ernie McMillan arrived at training camp as a converted college tight end. The Cardinals quickly shifted his 6-foot-5, 275-pound frame to offensive tackle, unleashing a cerebral, technically sound blocker who would anchor the edge for fourteen consecutive seasons (1961–1974).

The mechanics of his play relied heavily on leverage, geometry, and exceptional lateral balance. In an era where pass protection was a hand-to-hand brawl against legendary edge rushers, McMillan excelled through calculated body control and precise angles. He was a textbook technician who mastered the art of mirroring pass rushers, once grading out at a staggering 96 percent efficiency on pass blocks across a single season. His endurance was equally remarkable; after taking over as the full-time starter in his second year, he set a franchise record by starting 162 consecutive games without missing a single contest due to injury over his first twelve seasons.

In a testament to his selflessness and leadership, McMillan willingly moved from his longtime right tackle slot to left tackle late in his St. Louis tenure to accommodate the rise of young star Dan Dierdorf. That positional sacrifice allowed the Cardinals to field one of the most formidable tackle tandems in league history. After a final 1974 season in St. Louis where he helped secure a division title, he finished his career with a brief stint in Green Bay in 1975, retiring with 190 career regular-season games.

Marshall Goldberg, a two-time consensus All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist under Jock Sutherland at Pitt, became a national star when the Chicago Cardinals picked him in the 1939 NFL Draft's second round. As one of the earliest notable Jewish superstars in pro football, Goldberg's unique blend of backfield strength, return speed, and defensive savvy quickly boosted the team's competitiveness.

Goldberg had a low, powerful running style that made him effective between the tackles, combined with the quick acceleration of a track athlete. His versatility enabled him to play as a fullback, halfback, kick returner, and safety effortlessly. On defense, his quick decision-making and knack for turnovers made him a persistent threat to intercept passes from opponents, while his open-field tackling often stopped large plays in their tracks.

His multi-phase versatility peaked during the 1941 season. Goldberg delivered an impressive single-season performance, rushing for 427 yards, catching passes for 313 yards, and leading the NFL with 290 kickoff return yards. His total of 1,236 all-purpose yards topped the league, earning him a Pro Bowl spot and All-Pro honors. Not satisfied with offensive dominance alone, Goldberg also excelled on defense, tying for the league lead with 7 interceptions. He carried this exceptional energy into 1942, finishing fifth in all-purpose yards and continuing to excel in the secondary.

During his prime, Goldberg paused his football career to serve in the U.S. Navy for two years in the South Pacific during World War II. After returning to Chicago in 1946, he chose to play primarily as a safety to support the Cardinals' renowned "Dream Backfield,” which included Charley Trippi, Paul Christman, Elmer Angsman, and Pat Harder. His unselfish switch to safety became the defensive cornerstone of the memorable 1947 season, ending with a thrilling victory over the Philadelphia Eagles that secured the franchise's only NFL Championship to date.

Goldberg played one more season before calling it a career. He recorded 1,644 rushing yards, 775 receiving yards, 1,083 return yards, and 19 interceptions across 77 regular-season games. The Cardinals enshrined Goldberg into their Ring of Honor in 2006.

After setting the University of Miami school record as the first player in Hurricanes history to break the 1,000-yard mark, Ottis Anderson entered the professional ranks with immense expectations. Selected eighth overall in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Anderson stepped into the backfield and instantly altered the physical identity of the franchise.

Anderson was the ultimate blend of power-back violence and open-field elusiveness. Running with a high-knee stride, lower-body drive, and sharp vision, he routinely punished defenders at the second level and had enough top-end speed to erase angle pursuits. Beyond his rushing volume, his smooth hands out of the backfield made him a lethal dual-threat weapon on third downs.

His professional debut in 1979 was one of the most remarkable in NFL history. In his very first regular-season game against Dallas, Anderson made an immediate impact with 193 rushing yards. He finished the season with a career-best 1,605 rushing yards and 1,913 total yards from scrimmage, earning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, a First-Team All-Pro honor, and his first Pro Bowl selection. Additionally, both UPI and The Sporting News named him NFC Player of the Year.

Anderson maintained a demanding workload into his 1980 sophomore season, rushing for 1,352 yards and 9 touchdowns while also catching 36 passes, earning his second Pro Bowl. During his first six seasons with St. Louis (1979–1984), Anderson exceeded 1,000 rushing yards five times, an achievement that would probably have been six straight if the 1982 strike hadn't shortened the season.

This set the stage for four years of consistent, high-volume production from 1981 to 1984. Anderson started the 1981 season by rushing for 1,376 yards and gaining 1,763 yards from scrimmage, becoming the franchise's all-time leading rusher halfway through his third season. In the strike-affected 1982 season, he helped keep the offense active with 587 rushing yards in just eight games, equivalent to a 1,000-yard season—and played a key role in leading the Cardinals to the playoffs. Fully healthy again, he posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 1983 (1,270 yards) and 1984 (1,174 yards), anchoring a potent Big Red offense alongside quarterback Neil Lomax and establishing himself as an essential offensive force.

After injuries slowed his production in mid-1985 and 1986, the Cardinals executed a surprise mid-season trade, sending their legendary back to division rival New York. While his initial stint with the Giants was spent in a situational role, Anderson engineered a famous second act, winning the 1989 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and capturing Super Bowl XXV MVP honors in 1991.

He accumulated 7,999 rushing yards, 2,495 receiving yards, 10,494 yards from scrimmage, and 53 total touchdowns across 99 games as a Cardinal.

Long before the modern gridiron era of professional football, Duke Slater emerged as a formidable figure who transformed line play. An All-American at the University of Iowa and a leader in guiding the Hawkeyes to a national championship, Slater contributed exceptional strength and leverage to early professional football. He joined the Rock Island Independents, becoming the first African-American lineman in NFL history. Later, with the Chicago Cardinals, he again broke barriers as the first Black player for a franchise that still exists in the NFL today.

Operating in an era of constant 60-minute two-way trench warfare, he played both offense and defense nonstop. His powerful drive-blocks opened large running lanes for stars like Ernie Nevers and Jim Thorpe. On defense, his quick initial punch and ability to shed blocks made it nearly impossible for opponents to run to his side. His dominance led Chicago Bears founder George Halas to famously call him a "one-man line.”

During his time with the Cardinals, Slater was regarded as the top tackle in the league. His most notable performance came on Thanksgiving Day in 1929, when he played the full 60 minutes on the icy field of Comiskey Park. In that game, Slater effectively shut down the edge to support teammate Ernie Nevers' remarkable 40-point game against the Bears, setting an NFL single-game scoring record that remains unbroken.

Over ten years in the professional league, Slater received All-Pro honors for seven straight seasons (1923–1929), establishing himself as an unstoppable force on the line. During many of those years, he was the only Black player in the entire league, persistently breaking barriers through his exceptional skill until an unofficial color barrier temporarily arose after his departure. Slater made history as the first lineman in NFL history to be named All-Pro for seven consecutive seasons, consistently anchoring the offensive or defensive line for a full 60 minutes.

Off the field, Slater combined intelligence and strong work ethic with his athletic achievements. During his NFL seasons, he also attended law school and graduated in 1928. After ending his football career in 1931, he started a legal practice in Chicago, eventually serving as an assistant district attorney. He made history as one of Chicago's earliest Black judges. In 2020, Slater was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Centennial Class, posthumously.