Next up? 16 Cardinals Ring of Honor Candidates

Larry Fitzgerald

17 seasons (2004-2020), 263 games (261 starts)
11x Pro Bowler (2005, 2007-2013, 2015-2017)
1x First-Team All-Pro (2008), 2x Second-Team All-Pro (2009, 2011)
2x NFL receptions (2005, 2016), 2x NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2008, 2009)
1,432 receptions, 17,492 receiving yards, 121 touchdowns

An absolute lock for any team in the history of the NFL. Fitz’s franchise records will never be touched, nor will his 17 seasons with the team – which was the entirety of his pro career.

Virtual locks

Darnell Dockett

11 seasons (2004-2014), 158 games (156 starts)
3x Pro Bowler (2007, 2009, 2010)
1x Second-Team All-Pro (2009)
472 tackles (358 solo), 40.5 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 4 interceptions, 2 touchdowns

Dockett was the definition of an “all-in” player for his team. It took no time at all for him to embrace the Cardinal way and his hatred toward the rest of the NFC West made him a special player. Although it was odd to see him sign with the 49ers in the 2015 offseason, he never played a down with them so we can forget about that.

Dockett finished his career tenth all-time in sacks for the franchise in 10 seasons played (tore his ACL before 2014).

Anquan Boldin

Seven seasons (2003-2009), 95 games (92 starts)
3x Pro Bowler (2003, 2006, 2008)
2003 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
586 receptions, 7,520 receiving yards, 44 touchdowns, 36 carries, 209 rushing yards, 1 touchdown
7,729 scrimmage yards, 45 total touchdowns

Boldin’s departure from the desert was controversial and attributed a mistake to the franchise and not him. Even after he left, he was never hated by Cardinals fans. Boldin still holds the team’s rookie records for receiving yards (1,377) and receptions (101) and ended his seven seasons with Arizona fourth all-time in receiving yards, second in receptions, and fifth in touchdowns.

Many believe he should never have left, but he’s still an all-timer.

Calais Campbell

Nine seasons (2008-2016), 138 games (120 starts)
2x Pro Bowler (2014, 2015)
2x Second-Team All-Pro (2014, 2016)
501 tackles (382 solo), 56.5 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 8 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions, 2 safeties, 1 touchdown

Campbell has had a storied career with every stop he’s made across 17 seasons (and counting), but he’ll always be remembered as a Cardinal. After playing a rotational role as a rookie in 2008, Campbell quickly became the star defensive lineman for the Cards and ended his stint with the franchise fourth all-time in sacks.

Campbell is still looking for a job despite turning 39-years-old in September, but he’s still started every game over the last two seasons despite his age. Perhaps he could come back home to end his Hall of Fame career.

Debatable

Tyrann Mathieu

Five seasons (2013-2017), 66 games (57 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (2015)
1x First-Team All-Pro (2015)
308 tackles (283 solo), 11 interceptions, 41 pass deflections, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 sacks, 1 touchdown

Mathieu owes his pro career to the Cardinals, who take a chance on after a college career that was filled with drug problems that eventually kicked him off the team. But Mathieu proved he was a changed man an Arizona gave him his chance, which he made the most of as he trends toward the Hall of Fame.

Mathieu suffered two ACL tears during his time with the franchise, with his second one in 2015 arguably taking away the Defensive Player of the Year award he deserved. Still, he was dominant during his stint with the Cardinals even though he left earlier than fans wanted.

James Conner

Four seasons (2021-present), 57 games (48 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (2021)
3,668 rushing yards, 37 touchdowns, 185 receptions, 1,254 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns
4,922 scrimmage yards, 44 total touchdowns

Conner could one day fit into our next category, “when the time is right,” but he still needs a little bit more production to earn that spot. His first four seasons with the Cardinals have been great, with consecutive 1,000 rushing yards seasons the last two seasons and 1,000 scrimmage yards in all four seasons with the team.

Conner has also managed to place himself fourth all-time in franchise rushing yards and could jump all the way to second with another 1,000 rushing yards. Conner has real estate purchased in the endzone on top of that. With a couple of more seasons of the production he’s put together, he’ll join the “when the time is right” category.

When The Time is Right

Budda Baker

Eight seasons (2017-present), 122 games (112 starts)
7x Pro Bowler (2017, 2000-2024)
2x First-Team All-Pro (2017, 2020), 2x Second-Team All-Pro (2021, 2024)
NFL solo tackles leader (2019)
901 tackles (621 solo), 7 interceptions, 39 pass deflections, 7 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 9.5 sacks, 1 touchdown

Baker’s eight seasons have been some of the best the Cardinals have seen since the turn of the century. After starting his career as a special teams ace, where he was elected a First-Team All-Pro, he took the reigns as the team’s defensive leader.

The only knock to Baker’s career has been a lack of turnovers, especially interceptions where he hasn’t recorded one since 2022. But his top end play across the board and his leadership are much more important when considering the legacy of his on-going career.

When he hangs up the cleats, Baker won’t wait long to join the franchise’s Ring of Honor. 

Sleepers Who Make Sense

Bertrand Berry

Six seasons (2004-2009), 72 games (52 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (2004)
1x Second-Team All-Pro (2004)
157 tackles (127 solo), 40 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 8 fumbles recoveries

I’m curious how many fans remember Berry to be honest. He spent half of his 12-season career with Arizona and posted almost half of his total career production in nearly every statistic with the franchise. Berry is just a half-sack outside the franchise’s top-10 sack leaders behind the previously mentioned Darnell Dockett.

After his pro career, Berry spent many years as a radio personality of 98.7 FM including hosting his own show, “Off the Edge with B-Train.” He is a niche fan-favorite, but I know many would be happy with an eventual inclusion as a good player and a great presence in the Valley.

Neil Rackers

Seven seasons (2003-2009), 100 games
1x Pro Bowler (2005)
1x First-Team All-Pro (2005)
2x NFL field goal attempts leader (2005, 2006)
195 field goal attempts, 161 made field goals, 82.6% field goal conversion, 218 PATs, 216 converted PATs, 99.1% PAT conversion, 699 points

It's not often you see kickers added to a team’s Ring of Honor, but Rackers has the best argument of any kicker in franchise history. Rackers was instrumental for the Cardinals in their playoff run in the late 2000's, where he nailed 91.1% of his field goal tries and 98.8% of his PATs between 2008 and 2009.

His reliability helped lift the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2008. Rackers left the desert as the franchise’s second all-time leader in field goals made, third in conversion percentage (between kickers with 100+ attempts), and third in points. He’s perhaps the fan favorite kicker and he’d be an underrated addition to the Ring of Honor.

Karlos Dansby

Eight seasons (2004-2009, 2013, 2017)
1x Second-Team All-Pro (2013)
776 tackles (633 solo), 33 sacks, 15 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, 4 touchdowns

Dansby is one of the most underrated linebackers in league history. He has zero Pro Bowls in his career, but he was more than deserving of the honor throughout his career and none more so than his 2013 season. Dansby also finished his career with 40+ sacks and 20+ interceptions, a rare accomplishment for defenders.

His time with the Cardinals was special, leaving several marks on franchise history including finishing fourth all-time in solo tackles. His career in Arizona may have split into three separate stints, but he’s a legendary linebacker for the franchise.

Controversial

Chandler Jones

Six seasons (2016-2021), 84 games (84 starts)
3x Pro Bowler (2017, 2019, 2021)
2x First-Team All-Pro (2017, 2019)
262 tackles (206 solo), 71.5 sacks, 23 forced fumbles, 8 fumble recoveries

You’d think the franchise’s all-time sack leader would be a slam dunk for the Ring of Honor, and in most cases he would be. However, Jones’ career has been plagued with controversy and run in with the law.

Jones’ legal troubles came after his pro career and he kept himself out of trouble in Arizona, but he’s become nothing short of a controversial individual since then. The saying “separate the art from the artist” could be applied here, as Jones was a good dude and a star player with the Cardinals, but an induction to the franchise’s Ring of Honor wouldn’t come without some contentious feelings.

Patrick Peterson

10 seasons (2011-2020), 154 games (154 starts)
8x Pro Bowler (2011-2018)
3x First-Team All-Pro
NFL punt return yards leader (2011)
499 tackles (447 solo), 28 interceptions, 91 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, 4 sacks, 1 defensive touchdown, 4 punt return touchdowns

It's so unfortunate that a future Hall of Famer is a controversial addition to the franchise’s Ring of Honor, but it is entirely the fault of the player. Peterson burned his bridge with the team with some questionable at best comments about the team on a podcast that didn’t sit well with fans before he left. Peterson never missed a start in his career, but he was suspended six games in 2019 after comments about the medical staff.

Beyond the controversies, however, PP21 is arguably the greatest defensive player in franchise history. He quickly rose to prominence early in his career and became one of the best lockdown corners for several seasons. He was an undeniable superstar, but he has become a borderline hated player by fans.

Peterson is a slam dunk Ring of Honor member, but it won’t come without mixed feelings from fans.

Kyler Murray

Six seasons (2019-present), 82 games (82 starts)
2x Pro Bowler (2020, 2021)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2019)
19,498 passing yards, 67.1% completion, 7.0 yards per attempt, 115 passing touchdowns, 57 interceptions, 92.4 passer rating, 3,020 rushing yards, 31 touchdowns

I wonder how this one will sit with Cardinals fans… Murray has been referred to as the most controversial sports player in the history of the state of Arizona. It’s understandable considering the highs and lows throughout his six-year career, all with the Cards.

Murray started off his career with a bang, but he’s regressed significantly since the team’s 2021 playoff loss to the Rams – the franchise's last playoff appearance. It feels as though Murray has extended his stay in the desert, but he still has time to turn everything around. He is currently third all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns, as well as second in completions for the franchise.

Murray has left his mark on the franchise, but he has fallen from grace with fans. Perhaps he can turn things around and if he does then he is a great candidate for the Ring of Honor.

A case, but unlikely:

David Johnson

Five seasons (2015-2019), 62 games (47 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (2016)
1x First-Team All-Pro (2016), 1x Second-Team All-Pro (2016)
3,128 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, 208 receptions, 2,219 receiving yards, 15 receiving touchdowns, 5,347 scrimmage yards, 48 total touchdowns

Johnson could be considered a “One-Year-Wonder” for Arizona. His 2016 season was one of the greatest ever for any offensive player with1,239 rushing yards 879 receiving yards (2,118 scrimmage yards), and 20 total touchdowns. The season was so great he made First and Second-Team All-Pro honors. Johnson set an NFL record 15-consecutive games with 100+ scrimmage yards in a single season. Special.

But beyond that season, Johnson had 1,889 rushing yards and 1,340 receiving yards (3,229 scrimmage yards) – all of which was nearly 40% of his career production. It was a special and historic season, but I’m not sure it’s enough to join the Ring of Honor.

D.J. Humphries

Eight seasons (2015-2023), 98 games (98 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (2021)

Humphries was one of the few first round picks the Cardinals have used on an offensive lineman that worked out. Humphries was incredibly underrated in his near-decade spent with the franchise with just a single Pro Bowl selection, but he was in the upper-tier of left tackles for most of his career. The question is whether he played long enough and at a high enough level to earn a spot in the Ring of Honor, but he should always be remembered as a stud for this franchise.

Simeon Rice

Five seasons (1996-2000), 79 games (73 starts)
1x Pro Bowler (1999
1x Second-Team All-Pro (1999)
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996)
250 tackles (213 solo), 51.5 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 1 interception

Rice was the third overall pick in the ’96 NFL Draft for the Cardinals and he spent little time becoming a feared pass rusher with a 12.5 sack rookie season. Rice also snagged two more double-digit sack seasons with Arizona. Unfortunately, Rice was intent on testing free agency and signed with the Buccaneers, where he became a star and Super Bowl champion.

Although Rice will be remembered as a Bucs legend for most, he made a mark with the Cardinals as their sixth-leading sack producer. It would be a tough sell to get him into the Ring of Honor, but humble beginnings jump-started an excellent career and his first home in Arizona was worthy of the honor.