Arizona Cardinals' Patrick Peterson reveals one of the worst games of his NFL career

The Arizona Cardinals went all-in on the defensive side of the ball this offseason. While their defense wasn't horrible in 2024, they are looking to improve there to give the offense some help to make a run to the playoffs and beyond.

They improved the trenches dramatically bringing back Calais Campbell, signing Josh Sweat, and drafting Walter Nolen III. Their secondary will once again be a strong point for their defense as well, with the hopes that the balance will work hand in hand with each other to become one of the elite forces in the league.

The Cardinals have had great defensive players over the years, but perhaps the most impactful was shutdown cornerback Patrick Peterson.

Peterson, an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, locked down one side of the field for the Cards from 2011-2020.

Even with how great he was and respected across the league, Peterson would have a bad game every now and then. And in an appearance on the 4th&1 podcast with Cam Newton, Peterson revealed one of the worst games of his career when he went up against Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones.

The Time Julio Jones Ruined Patrick Peterson's Day

Posted by Vitality Vibes on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Even one of the best cornerbacks in history struggled against prime Julio Jones.

Jones and quarterback Matt Ryan were in a rhythm that day, and there wasn't much Peterson could do to ensure that didn't happen. 10 catches, nearly 200 yards, and a touchdown... that will live with any player throughout their lives.

Peterson and Jones have a deep history dating back to facing each other in college at Alabama and LSU, and Jones got the better of Peterson in this game nearly 11 years ago.

This game was the one outlier of their matchups, as Peterson locked down Jones for the majority of his career. Limiting Jones and the Falcons' explosive plays was a key reason for the success the Cardinals had against the Falcons back in the day, but Peterson is well aware that Jones exploited him during this single matchup.

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