

Arizona cardinals chicago bean pro#
He made the Pro Bowl twice, in back to back seasons in 19, but was consistently effective throughout his career. Primarily lining up at the left defensive tackle position, Swann became an impact player through his nine seasons in Arizona. In 1991, the Cardinals drafted him in the first round and signed him to an NFL contract. After being declared ineligible to play in college football, he enrolled at a community college, then after a year signed with a semi-pro team to get back on the field. Swann took a different route to the NFL than most. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY SportsĮric Swann was a dominant player for a short period of time. He made the Pro Bowl in each of those four seasons, had a 38-18 record, and led the team to two playoff trips. During that four year span, he averaged more than 2,600 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He was in the top five in passing touchdowns three times. His 34,665 yards passing leaves him just outside the top 25 all-time, but he did rank inside the top five in that category in six different seasons. It should be noted, in the interest of fairness, that he played during the Dead Ball Era, and nobody had great numbers. He also threw more interceptions than touchdowns, completed barely 50% of his passes, and never won a playoff game during his long tenure in Arizona. His record as a starter is almost exactly. Other than his ability to play into his late 30s, Hart didn’t have a remarkable career. He started one game as a rookie, then proceeded to take the starting job for the next 15 seasons. Longevity is a skill, and one Hart had in spades. Jim Hart was a good player for many years. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Tillman will always be remembered as a hero off the field, but he was a terrific player who might have had a brilliant career in football if he had gone that route. His career was short, and his numbers aren’t huge, but he had an impact on the field in his brief time in Arizona. He played one more season after that, then turned down a contract extension in order to join the military. His best season came in 2000, when he recorded well over 100 tackles, had one and a half sacks, forced two fumbles, and added an interception. His toughness was lauded, and he continued to get lots of playing time. However, as a player, he was certainly no slouch.ĭrafted out of Arizona State, where he played as an undersized linebacker, he earned a spot in the starting lineup quickly, after moving to the safety position. Tillman is remembered, and rightly so, for his contributions, not on the field, but to his country as a soldier in the United States Army, where he paid the ultimate sacrifice on April 22, 2004. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sportsīefore he was an American hero, Pat Tillman was a budding star. He was a terrific player who didn’t get the recognition that he deserved while he was playing. Sharpe’s post-NFL life has been a struggle, with family tragedy, and a drug problem that has caused him to spend several years behind bars, but fans that witnessed him on the field know that he was a big-time player, and one of the best offensive linemen that the team has ever had. He was a three-time Pro Bowler in consecutive years from 1987 to 1989, and was a top tackle in the league, even while playing for a Cardinals team that wasn’t very good for the most part. He took over the starting job mid-way through his rookie season, and didn’t let go for a long time, outside of a couple of injuries. What Sharpe did very well was use his 6’5, nearly 300 pound frame to move opposing players around on the football field.Īfter being selected in the 1st round of the 1982 NFL Draft, Sharpe didn’t take long to live up to his draft status. Luis Sharpe was an underrated blocker during his time.Īny time a player can hold onto a job in the NFL for 13 seasons, he must be doing something well. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports The players on this list were ranked solely on their time with the Cardinals franchise, and any time spent elsewhere did not factor in.
