The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest professional football team in the United States, founded in 1898. Based in Glendale, Arizona, the team plays in the Western Division of the NFC. Despite their long history, the Cardinals have had limited success in terms of championships, with only one Super Bowl appearance to date.

Brand Overview

The Arizona Cardinals were co-founders of the NFL in 1920, alongside the Chicago Bears, with whom they are the only founding franchises still in existence. The team originally started in Chicago, moved to St. Louis in 1960, and finally settled in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988. Over the years, the Cardinals have faced challenges with branding, including name changes and struggles with performance, but in the 2000s, the team began to find more success, including division championships and playoff appearances.

Arizona Cardinals Logo History

The Arizona Cardinals logo has undergone several transformations since its inception.

• 1920 – 1934: The first logo featured a bold wishbone "C" with a smaller "C" inside, reflecting the club’s name in cardinal-red.
• 1944: During the Card-Pitt merger, the logo featured an uppercase "Card-Pitt" inscription in a geometric font.
• 1947 – 1959: A small cardinal bird perched on a football was introduced, signaling a shift towards incorporating the bird's image into the team’s identity.
• 1960 – 1961: The logo featured a football player with a cardinal bird head, symbolizing determination.
• 1962 – 1969: The team’s new logo depicted a fit, running bird, wearing football pants and holding a ball, as the club became the St. Louis Cardinals.
• 1970 – 1987: The iconic profile view of a cardinal bird's head in red, black, and white was designed, setting the stage for the modern version of the logo.
• 1988 – 1993: After the move to Phoenix, the logo remained largely the same, with refinements to the design.
• 1994 – 2004: The logo underwent minor changes, particularly as the team became the Arizona Cardinals.
• 2005 – Today: The logo was redesigned to be sharper and more energetic, with a forward-leaning bird head and dynamic contours, conveying a sense of aggression and determination.

Symbolism & Colors

The Cardinal bird symbolizes freedom, passion, and vigor, characteristics essential for a football team. The team’s colors are:

• Cardinal Red (Pantone 194 C)
• Black (Pantone Black C)
• Yellow (Pantone 1235 C)

These colors represent energy, courage, perseverance, and determination, while the red and black colors provide strong contrast and a bold, aggressive look.

Arizona Cardinals Uniform & Helmet

• Uniforms: The team has three main uniforms, all using Cardinal Red, Black, and White as the primary colors. The main uniform features a red jersey with white details and white pants with wide red stripes.
• Helmet: The Arizona Cardinals helmets are plain white with no stripes, featuring the iconic cardinal bird logo on the sides. The light metallic gray facemask adds elegance to the design.

Arizona Cardinals Mascot

The Arizona Cardinals’ mascot is a 6-foot-4, Big Red, a giant red cardinal bird who debuted in 1998. Known for its aggressive and energetic appearance, Big Red is a key figure at games and events, helping to energize fans.

Home Ground

The Arizona Cardinals play at State Farm Stadium, which opened in 2006 and has undergone two major renovations. Before that, the team played at several different stadiums, including Sun Devil Stadium and Busch Memorial Stadium.

Arizona Cardinals Colors

• Cardinal Red: #97233F
• Black: #000000
• Yellow: #FFB612

These colors give the team its bold, energetic identity.