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The Cards and The NFL Draft—“I Didn’t Know That!”
WHO: Lee Corso—Running Back, 1957, Florida State
WHAT: ESPN College GameDay Analyst
—Chicago Cardinals’ 29th round draft choice in 1957
—Running back at Florida State where his roommate was actor Burt Reynolds
—Current ESPN talent for College GameDay show
—College Head Coach at Louisville, Indiana, and Northern Illinois
—Pro Head Coach of Orlando Renegades of USFL in 1985
WHO: Kirk Gibson—Wide Receiver, 1979, Michigan
WHAT: Most Memorable Pinch Hit in Baseball History
—Cardinals seventh-round selection in 1979
—Wide receiver at Michigan State
—Earned all-America honors at MSU as flanker in 1978
—Chose baseball over football
—American League playoff MVP with Detroit Tigers in 1984
—National League MVP with Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988
—Memorable pinch-hit home run against Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series to vault the Dodgers to the title.
WHO: Mike Holmgren—Quarterback, 1970, Southern California
WHAT: Super Bowl Champion NFL Head Coach
—Cardinals’ eighth-round draft choice in 1970
—Quarterback at Southern California
—NFL Head Coach with Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks
—Guided Packers to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXI over New England following 1996 season
—Assistant coach on San Francisco’s Super Bowl XXXIII and XXXIV winning teams
WHO: Dub Jones—Running Back, 1946, Tulane
WHAT: NFL Record-Setting Running Back
—Cardinals’ first-round draft choice in 1946
—Running back at Tulane
—Opted to join Cleveland of the rival All-America Football Conference
—Scored six touchdowns against Chicago Bears in 1951 while a Cleveland Brown halfback, tying the NFL record set by Cardinal Ernie Nevers in 1929.
—His son, Bert Jones, became a successful NFL quarterback in the 1970s with the Baltimore Colts
WHO: Joe Namath—Quarterback, 1965, Alabama
WHAT: The Guarantee
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in1965
—Quarterback at Alabama
—Opted to sign with rival New York Jets during rivalry between NFL and AFL in mid 1960s
—Winning quarterback and Super Bowl III MVP in 16-7 upset of Baltimore Colts
WHO: Ahmad Rashad—Wide Receiver, 1972, Oregon
WHAT: From Oregon To The Olympics
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in 1972
—Wide receiver at Oregon
—Changed name from Bobby Moore to Ahmad Rashad in honor to Islam religion
—10-year NFL career with Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings
—Has worked with NBC Sports since 1983 with prominent roles in network coverage of the NBA and three Olympic Games
WHO: Lou Saban—Quarterback, 1944, Indiana
WHAT: Like Uncle, Like Son
—Cardinals’ eighth round selection in 1944
—Quarterback and fullback at Indiana
—Opted to sign with Cleveland Browns of rival All-American Football Conference
—Head coach of Buffalo Bills’ consecutive ALF championships in 1964 and 1965
—Nephew, Nick, currently head coach of Miami Dolphins after success at Michigan State and LSU
WHO: Colin Scotts—Defensive Lineman, 1987, Hawaii
WHAT: First Australian To Play In NFL
—Cardinals’ third-round selection, 1987
—Defensive lineman at Hawaii
—Thought to be first native Australian to play in NFL
—Played defensive line for Cardinals from 1987-88
—Originally played for Australian Schoolboys Rugby Team and offered football scholarship to Hawaii by school assistant coach watching him play rugby at UCLA.
—Brief NFL career, but known for his “Kangaroo Hop” celebration following a quarterback sack.
WHO: Vai Sikehema—Running Back, 1986, Brigham Young
WHAT: Pro Bowl Return Specialist Turned Sports Anchor
—Cardinals’ 10th round selection in 1986
—Running back at Brigham Young
—Two-time Pro Bowl pick as return specialist in 1986-87.
—Shares franchise record of career punt returns for touchdown with three, posting two in a 1986 game vs. Tampa Bay as a rookie, only the fifth player in NFL history to record the double.
—Won Arizona Gold Gloves Boxing title in 147-pound division at age 13
—Currently sports anchor at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia
WHO: Bonnie Sloan—Defensive Tackle, 1973, Austin Peay
WHAT: First Deaf Player In NFL
—Cardinals’ 10th round selection in 1973
—Offensive and defensive lineman at Austin Peay
—NFL’s first deaf player
—Proficient lip-reader watched quarterback’s lips as the play was called in college
WHO: Homer Smith—Running Back, 1954, Princeton
WHAT: I’d Rather Teach Than Play
—Cardinals’ 11th round selection in 1954
—Running back at Princeton
—Widely recognized as one of the finest offensive minds in era of modern football
—Head coach at Davidson, Pacific, Army
—Offensive coordinator at Air Force Academy, UCLA, Alabama, Arizona
—NFL offensive coordinator for Kansas City Chiefs
—Author of 17 books and numerous instruction videos on the game of football
WHO: Eric Swann—Defensive Tackle, 1991
WHAT: Rags To Riches Story
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in 1991
—Defensive tackle did not play college football
—Honed skills on minor-league level with Bay State Titans in Lynn, Massachusetts
—Two-time Pro Bowl pick with Cardinals in 1995-96
—While playing minor league football (no salaries but provided jobs) lugged pipe for an electric company and ran errands for a restaurant.
—First non-college player drafted by NFL since Emil “Six Yard” SItko by the L.A. Rams in 1946, who ironically played for the Chicago Cardinals from 1951-52.
WHO: Richard Tardits—Defensive End, 1989, Georgia
WHAT: French Rugby Player
—Cardinals’ fifth-round selection in 1989
—Defensive end at Georgia
—Former Rugby player in France
—While visiting friends in the U.S. decided to enroll at University of Georgia and left as the school’s all-time sack leader with 29. Joined Georgia Bulldog football squad as freshman walk-on, having never witnessed an American Football game until his first at Georgia. Prior to coming to the states had run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
WHO: George Welsh—Quarterback, 1956, Navy
WHAT: Specialist At Reclamation Projects
—Cardinals’ 16th round selection in 1956
—Quarterback at Navy
—Coached 26 years at college level
—Returned football programs at Virginia and Navy to national prominence
—National Coach of the Year recognition in 1989, 1991 and 1998
—ACC Coach of the Year a record five times while at Virginia (1983-84-89-91-95).
The Cards and The NFL Draft—“I Didn’t Know That!”
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What do Kirk Gibson, Lee Corso, and Ahmad Rashad have in common? All were draft choices by the Cardinals! Here’s a look at some of the “I didn’t know that!” draft picks the Cardinals have made over the years.WHO: Lee Corso—Running Back, 1957, Florida State
WHAT: ESPN College GameDay Analyst
—Chicago Cardinals’ 29th round draft choice in 1957
—Running back at Florida State where his roommate was actor Burt Reynolds
—Current ESPN talent for College GameDay show
—College Head Coach at Louisville, Indiana, and Northern Illinois
—Pro Head Coach of Orlando Renegades of USFL in 1985
WHO: Kirk Gibson—Wide Receiver, 1979, Michigan
WHAT: Most Memorable Pinch Hit in Baseball History
—Cardinals seventh-round selection in 1979
—Wide receiver at Michigan State
—Earned all-America honors at MSU as flanker in 1978
—Chose baseball over football
—American League playoff MVP with Detroit Tigers in 1984
—National League MVP with Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988
—Memorable pinch-hit home run against Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series to vault the Dodgers to the title.
WHO: Mike Holmgren—Quarterback, 1970, Southern California
WHAT: Super Bowl Champion NFL Head Coach
—Cardinals’ eighth-round draft choice in 1970
—Quarterback at Southern California
—NFL Head Coach with Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks
—Guided Packers to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXI over New England following 1996 season
—Assistant coach on San Francisco’s Super Bowl XXXIII and XXXIV winning teams
WHO: Dub Jones—Running Back, 1946, Tulane
WHAT: NFL Record-Setting Running Back
—Cardinals’ first-round draft choice in 1946
—Running back at Tulane
—Opted to join Cleveland of the rival All-America Football Conference
—Scored six touchdowns against Chicago Bears in 1951 while a Cleveland Brown halfback, tying the NFL record set by Cardinal Ernie Nevers in 1929.
—His son, Bert Jones, became a successful NFL quarterback in the 1970s with the Baltimore Colts
WHO: Joe Namath—Quarterback, 1965, Alabama
WHAT: The Guarantee
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in1965
—Quarterback at Alabama
—Opted to sign with rival New York Jets during rivalry between NFL and AFL in mid 1960s
—Winning quarterback and Super Bowl III MVP in 16-7 upset of Baltimore Colts
WHO: Ahmad Rashad—Wide Receiver, 1972, Oregon
WHAT: From Oregon To The Olympics
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in 1972
—Wide receiver at Oregon
—Changed name from Bobby Moore to Ahmad Rashad in honor to Islam religion
—10-year NFL career with Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings
—Has worked with NBC Sports since 1983 with prominent roles in network coverage of the NBA and three Olympic Games
WHO: Lou Saban—Quarterback, 1944, Indiana
WHAT: Like Uncle, Like Son
—Cardinals’ eighth round selection in 1944
—Quarterback and fullback at Indiana
—Opted to sign with Cleveland Browns of rival All-American Football Conference
—Head coach of Buffalo Bills’ consecutive ALF championships in 1964 and 1965
—Nephew, Nick, currently head coach of Miami Dolphins after success at Michigan State and LSU
WHO: Colin Scotts—Defensive Lineman, 1987, Hawaii
WHAT: First Australian To Play In NFL
—Cardinals’ third-round selection, 1987
—Defensive lineman at Hawaii
—Thought to be first native Australian to play in NFL
—Played defensive line for Cardinals from 1987-88
—Originally played for Australian Schoolboys Rugby Team and offered football scholarship to Hawaii by school assistant coach watching him play rugby at UCLA.
—Brief NFL career, but known for his “Kangaroo Hop” celebration following a quarterback sack.
WHO: Vai Sikehema—Running Back, 1986, Brigham Young
WHAT: Pro Bowl Return Specialist Turned Sports Anchor
—Cardinals’ 10th round selection in 1986
—Running back at Brigham Young
—Two-time Pro Bowl pick as return specialist in 1986-87.
—Shares franchise record of career punt returns for touchdown with three, posting two in a 1986 game vs. Tampa Bay as a rookie, only the fifth player in NFL history to record the double.
—Won Arizona Gold Gloves Boxing title in 147-pound division at age 13
—Currently sports anchor at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia
WHO: Bonnie Sloan—Defensive Tackle, 1973, Austin Peay
WHAT: First Deaf Player In NFL
—Cardinals’ 10th round selection in 1973
—Offensive and defensive lineman at Austin Peay
—NFL’s first deaf player
—Proficient lip-reader watched quarterback’s lips as the play was called in college
WHO: Homer Smith—Running Back, 1954, Princeton
WHAT: I’d Rather Teach Than Play
—Cardinals’ 11th round selection in 1954
—Running back at Princeton
—Widely recognized as one of the finest offensive minds in era of modern football
—Head coach at Davidson, Pacific, Army
—Offensive coordinator at Air Force Academy, UCLA, Alabama, Arizona
—NFL offensive coordinator for Kansas City Chiefs
—Author of 17 books and numerous instruction videos on the game of football
WHO: Eric Swann—Defensive Tackle, 1991
WHAT: Rags To Riches Story
—Cardinals’ first-round selection in 1991
—Defensive tackle did not play college football
—Honed skills on minor-league level with Bay State Titans in Lynn, Massachusetts
—Two-time Pro Bowl pick with Cardinals in 1995-96
—While playing minor league football (no salaries but provided jobs) lugged pipe for an electric company and ran errands for a restaurant.
—First non-college player drafted by NFL since Emil “Six Yard” SItko by the L.A. Rams in 1946, who ironically played for the Chicago Cardinals from 1951-52.
WHO: Richard Tardits—Defensive End, 1989, Georgia
WHAT: French Rugby Player
—Cardinals’ fifth-round selection in 1989
—Defensive end at Georgia
—Former Rugby player in France
—While visiting friends in the U.S. decided to enroll at University of Georgia and left as the school’s all-time sack leader with 29. Joined Georgia Bulldog football squad as freshman walk-on, having never witnessed an American Football game until his first at Georgia. Prior to coming to the states had run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
WHO: George Welsh—Quarterback, 1956, Navy
WHAT: Specialist At Reclamation Projects
—Cardinals’ 16th round selection in 1956
—Quarterback at Navy
—Coached 26 years at college level
—Returned football programs at Virginia and Navy to national prominence
—National Coach of the Year recognition in 1989, 1991 and 1998
—ACC Coach of the Year a record five times while at Virginia (1983-84-89-91-95).
Fifth round pick.
