As Larry Wilson’s legendary career neared its end in the late 1960s, the St. Louis Cardinals’ secondary urgently needed a new core leader. They found their solution in spring 1969, effectively bridging generations. Roger Wehrli, a consensus All-American and Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year from the University of Missouri, completely changed the way individual pass coverage was viewed. Initially expected to be picked in the second round by some analysts, he defied scouting expectations at the combine by running a rapid 4.5-second 40-yard dash. This exceptional display of speed catapulted him into the first round as the 19th overall pick—a choice that quickly silenced critics and redefined NFL passing strategies for the next fourteen years.

Wehrli was an outstanding fluid mover, combining extraordinary recovery speed with a PhD in spatial trail technique. Unlike the physical, bump-and-run cornerbacks of his time who depended on boundary positioning, he demonstrated a highly poised diagnostic ability, matching the top route runners without giving up cushion. His quick closing burst enabled him to undercut routes with precision, turning deep threats into dead zones. His technical discipline was enhanced by excellent ball-tracking skills, making him a prolific playmaker who collected loose footballs, with 40 career interceptions and 22 fumble recoveries. Roger Staubach famously called Wehrli a "shutdown corner,” highlighting his complete containment of elite wide receivers and shaping new terminology for scouts.

His debut in the professional ranks in 1969 immediately demonstrated his dominance in his position. Wehrli joined the starting lineup, secured his side of the field, intercepted three passes, and earned consensus All-Rookie honors, finishing as the runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He carried this momentum into 1970, posting a remarkable statistical season with 6 interceptions, which earned him his first of seven career Pro Bowl selections and his first first-team All-Pro recognition.

After a brief transitional phase for the Cardinals’ defense in the early 1970s, Wehrli fully established himself as an unstoppable perimeter defender by the mid-1970s. His exceptional coverage skills drew praise from Dallas Cowboys legend Roger Staubach, who famously called Wehrli a "shutdown corner"—a phrase widely regarded by football historians as the first time it was used to describe a defensive back. With this recognition from his toughest rival, Wehrli became a key player for Don Coryell's competitive St. Louis teams, earning four straight Pro Bowl selections (1973–1976) and three consecutive first-team All-Pro honors (1974–1976). His peak performance came in 1975, when he intercepted six passes, helping the Cardinals finish with an 11-3 record and win the NFC East.

As Wehrli’s career neared its end, his exceptional technical skills kept him highly effective, despite a natural decline in his elite vertical speed. In 1979, he earned his final Pro Bowl selection as a veteran and continued mentoring an evolving secondary. His long, historic stint in a St. Louis uniform concluded after the strike-shortened 1982 season, when he retired after 193 regular-season games, never having worn another professional jersey.

Wehrli was named to the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, and in 2007, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  That same year, Wehrli was part of the inaugural Cardinals Ring of Honor Class.

The Cardinals football team's long history can be traced back to a pivotal tug-of-war in winter 1947. Charley Trippi, a prominent college star from the University of Georgia who won the 1946 Maxwell Award and was the Heisman runner-up, became the center of a fierce bidding contest between the NFL and the rising All-America Football Conference. The AAFC’s New York Yankees thought they had secured the superstar, but Chicago Cardinals owner Charles Bidwill shifted the odds with a groundbreaking financial move. He signed the versatile rookie to a historic $100,000 four-year contract, completing a crucial piece of his championship plans.

Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 186 pounds, Trippi was a prototype for the versatile, positionless offensive weapon long before the term existed. As a runner, he had an explosive burst and elite open-field elasticity, slicing through defenses with a 5.1 yards per carry career average. His ability to execute at every skill position made him a tactical nightmare — a lethal passer on halfback options, a skilled route runner with soft hands, and a rugged blocker. When needed, his leg produced a 40.3-yard punting average, and later in his career, he flipped jerseys to become an elite, hard-hitting defensive back.

His arrival in 1947 sparked a legendary chapter in franchise history, as Trippi became the dynamic force behind Chicago’s renowned "Million Dollar Backfield." Playing alongside Paul Christman, Pat Harder, and Elmer Angsman, the rookie halfback immediately led the Cardinals to a remarkable 1947 NFL Championship. Trippi cemented his Chicago legacy with a stellar performance in the icy 1947 Title Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Wearing basketball shoes to maneuver the icy Comiskey Park turf, he gained 206 all-purpose yards, scoring on a stunning 44-yard touchdown run and a historic 75-yard punt return, contributing to a 28-21 victory. His 206 yards and two long touchdowns in the extreme cold remain among the most clutch individual feats in NFL title game history.

He sustained that dizzying peak into the 1948 campaign, guiding the Cardinals back to the championship game while putting together a masterpiece of individual efficiency. Trippi dominated the league, leading the NFL with 1,485 all-purpose yards and a league-best 5.4 yards per carry, earning consensus first-team All-Pro honors. He replicated that dominance in 1949, again pacing the entire National Football League with 1,552 all-purpose yards while remaining the most feared kick and punt returner in the game.

As the franchise moved into the 1950s, Trippi's exceptional versatility became a crucial support for the coaching staff. During the 1951 and 1952 seasons, he almost entirely played quarterback, leading the offense from under center and earning Pro Bowl honors in 1952 and 1953. Demonstrating total disregard for personal stats or safety, he shifted to the defensive side for his last two seasons in 1954 and 1955, intercepting passes and chasing down opponents with the same fierce determination he showed on offense.

The arduous gridiron marathon culminated in a disappointing end during the 1955 season when a hard pre-season hit resulted in a fractured skull, leading to his retirement after 99 regular-season games. Trippi left Chicago with a legendary stats record, totaling 3,506 rushing yards, 1,321 receiving yards, 2,547 passing yards, and 37 touchdowns, along with 2,321 return yards. At his retirement moment, his remarkable versatility had set the record for the most total offense yards by a single player in NFL history.

Trippi was named to the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team, and his connection to the sport's elite was finalized in 1968 when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2006, he was inducted into the Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor as a founding member.

Over the century-plus existence of the Cardinals through stops in Chicago, St. Louis, and Arizona, it takes a special player to make the top of a list of the greatest of all time. In the case of the Cardinals, the top of the heap comes in Larry Fitzgerald, who became their gold standard in 2004.

After an outstanding season at the University of Pittsburgh, where he won the 2003 Big East Offensive Player of the Year and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up, Fitzgerald was selected third overall in the NFL Draft. He then embarked on a remarkable seventeen-season career entirely with the Cardinals. Throughout this journey, his exceptional athleticism and dependable hands transformed the franchise's modern history.

His game showcased flawless aerial geometry, with Fitzgerald, standing 6'3" and built robustly, relying not on pure speed but on refined skills like stem leverage, blind-spot awareness, and exceptional boundary sense. He had a vast, multidimensional catch radius, turning nearly even chances into sure catches by perfectly timing his jumps and using his strength to block defenders at the peak of his leap. Known for his extraordinary hands and vice-like grip, he prevented double catches and secured the ball through heavy contact. Later, he adapted seamlessly into a rugged slot receiver, using high-level spatial awareness to find soft spots in zone defenses and becoming an elite, fierce blocker in the run game.

The initial chapters of his remarkable career immediately announced the arrival of a generational talent. Following a productive rookie year in 2004 with 780 yards and 8 touchdowns, Fitzgerald had a phenomenal second season in 2005. At only 22, he dominated opposing defenses, leading the league with 103 receptions for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. This performance earned him his first of 11 Pro Bowl selections and established him as the top offensive threat in the desert.

While Fitzgerald's consistent individual performance was clear, he cemented his football legacy through arguably the finest postseason run in NFL history during 2008. With excellent route-running and a legendary catch radius, he teamed up with quarterback Kurt Warner to make the 2008 playoffs his personal showcase. In just four postseason games, Fitzgerald set records with 30 receptions, 546 yards, and 7 touchdowns. His late-game 64-yard catch-and-run touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII briefly gave Arizona the lead in the final moments, completing an extraordinary postseason where quarterbacks had a near-perfect passer rating when targeting him. Fitzgerald's 546 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in the 2008 playoffs stand as the highest totals ever recorded by a wide receiver in a single postseason.

He reached a high point during the 2009 season, leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns for the second year in a row with 13, and surpassing 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season. After Warner retired, Fitzgerald endured a challenging period with inconsistent quarterback play but remained a consistent source of production. In 2010, despite the unpredictable quarterback situation, he still recorded 90 receptions for 1,137 yards. He then had an outstanding 2011 season, overcoming defensive coverage to gain 1,411 yards and score 8 touchdowns, with an impressive average of 17.6 yards per catch.

As head coach Bruce Arians arrived and Carson Palmer took the reins, Fitzgerald’s veteran evolution accelerated. He crossed the 80-catch threshold in 2013 with 10 touchdowns, and by 2015 he had fully engineered an elite slot renaissance. That year, he reestablished himself as a dominant volume monster, hauling in a then-franchise-record 109 receptions for 1,215 yards and 9 touchdowns, guiding the high-octane Cardinals to the NFC Championship game.

This transformation culminated in a remarkable renaissance during the 2016 season. After 11 years since he first led the league in receptions, 33-year-old Fitzgerald once again claimed the NFL reception title with 107 catches, showcasing his exceptional spatial awareness over the middle of the field. His influence went well beyond the game that year, as his notable philanthropic contributions earned him the esteemed 2016 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, highlighting his character and leadership.

Even during the franchise's rebuilding after 2016, Fitzgerald continued to perform, serving as a key security blanket for a new generation of quarterbacks. In 2017, at age 34, he defied typical age-related decline for wide receivers by tying his career high with 109 receptions, gaining 1,156 yards and scoring 6 touchdowns. When rookie quarterback Kyler Murray joined in 2019, Fitzgerald became a vital veteran presence, leading the team with 75 receptions for 804 yards and surpassing Terrell Owens to move into second place on the all-time receiving yards list.

The historic marathon in pinstriped red reached its quiet final punctuation after the 2020 campaign. Fitzgerald walked away from the game with a statistical resume that ranks near the absolute summit of football history. He retired comfortably, sitting second all-time in NFL history in career receptions (1,432) and career receiving yards (17,492), while ranking sixth all-time with 121 receiving touchdowns. His legendary ball security was beautifully quantified by an advanced metric shared by team officials: Fitzgerald finished his illustrious career with more total tackles (37) than dropped passes (29) across more than 2,100 targets.

Named to both the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the prestigious NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, Fitzgerald cruised into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 in his first year on the ballot.

A two-way star at Utah, Larry Wilson barely reached six feet, which was primarily why he dropped to the Seventh Round of the 1960 NFL Draft, and it would not take long to see that he was the steal of the day.

A Cardinal for the entirety of his 12 NFL campaigns, Wilson was one of the most outstanding Safety of the 1960s and helped redefine the position.  With his speed and tackling ability, the Cardinals had a player who could execute the Safety Blitz, a novelty at the time.  Wilson had 21 (unofficial) Sacks over his career, and in traditional Defensive Back stats, he recorded 52 Interceptions, including a league-leading 10 in 1966, a year where he was second in MVP voting.  He was also known for his toughness, having once played with casts on both arms.

From 1962 to 1970, Wilson was named to the Pro Bowl, and he rattled off five consecutive First Team Selections from 1966 to 1970.  Not surprisingly, Wilson was chosen for the 50^th, 75^th, and 100^th NFL Anniversary Teams. 

Wilson entered the Pro Football of Fame in his first year of eligibility, one of two people (Tom Nix) being the other, to accomplish this astounding feat.

He may never have appeared in a playoff game, but many a game was won for St. Louis because Wilson was on their squad.  The Cardinals retired his number 8 in 1970; in 2006, he entered their Ring of Honor.