The desert can be a harsh place for a football team. If you’ve spent any time looking at the arizona cardinals football record, you know it’s a history defined by extreme peaks and some pretty deep valleys. Honestly, being a Cards fan is basically a masterclass in patience.
Most people see the recent 3-14 finish in the 2025 season and think that’s the whole story. It’s not. But it’s definitely a rough chapter. This team has the longest active championship drought in North American sports—78 seasons and counting. That’s a lot of Sundays spent waiting for "next year."
Why the Arizona Cardinals football record looks the way it does
Let's talk numbers. Through the end of the 2025 season, the franchise holds an all-time regular-season record of 599-840-41. If you include the playoffs, they’ve crossed the 600-win threshold, but they also hold the unenviable title of having the most losses of any franchise in NFL history.
Why? Because they’ve been around forever. They were a charter member of the league back in 1920 as the Chicago Cardinals. They’ve moved from Chicago to St. Louis to Phoenix, carrying a century of stats with them.
The 2025 season breakdown
The 2025 campaign was particularly brutal for the Red Sea. They started 2-0, and then the wheels didn't just come off—they basically disintegrated.
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- They finished 3-14.
- They ended the year on a nine-game losing streak.
- Jonathan Gannon was fired on January 5, 2026, after finishing his tenure with a 15-36 record.
It's kinda wild how fast things changed. Jacoby Brissett ended up throwing for 3,366 yards, and Trey McBride was a massive bright spot with 1,239 receiving yards, but the defense was a sieve. They gave up 488 points over 17 games. You aren't winning many games when you're surrendering nearly 29 points every time you step on the field.
The NFC West struggle
The division hasn't been kind lately. The Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers have all been powerhouses at different points over the last decade, leaving the Cardinals to scrap for leftovers.
All-time, Arizona is 96-123-1 against their NFC West rivals. That’s a winning percentage of .439. In 2025, the gap was a canyon. While the Seahawks were sitting pretty at 14-3, the Cardinals were stuck at the bottom of the well.
The record against the Rams is especially painful lately. Losing 45-17 in Week 14 and then 37-20 in the season finale just felt like salt in the wound for a fan base that’s seen plenty of it.
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Playoff history and the Kurt Warner era
If you want to feel better about the arizona cardinals football record, you have to look back at 2008. That was the year the "Cardiac Cards" actually made it happen.
Before that run, the team hadn't won a home playoff game since 1947. Then Kurt Warner showed up, Larry Fitzgerald turned into a literal superhero, and they went 3-1 in the postseason, falling just short in Super Bowl XLIII against the Steelers.
Their total playoff record is 7-10. It sounds meager, but considering they’ve only been to the postseason 11 times in 106 years, those seven wins are actually quite a feat. Most of that success came in two windows: the Warner era and the Bruce Arians era (2013-2017). Arians remains the winningest coach in franchise history with a 49-30-1 record. Compare that to the .294 winning percentage Gannon just left behind, and you see why fans are nostalgic for the "No Risk-It, No Biscuit" days.
Historical milestones
- 1925 & 1947: The only two years they actually won the whole thing (NFL Championships).
- 2015: The best regular season in franchise history, going 13-3 under Bruce Arians.
- 822+ Losses: The most in NFL history, mostly a byproduct of being the oldest team in continuous operation.
What happens next?
The 2026 offseason is going to be a turning point. With a new head coach search underway and a roster that clearly needs a defensive overhaul, the organization is at a crossroads. They have pieces—McBride is an elite tight end, and the passing game ranked 5th in the league in yards—but the "team" part of the football team is missing.
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If you’re tracking the arizona cardinals football record, keep an eye on the turnover margin and defensive signings this spring. The 2025 squad was 31st in rushing yards, which meant they couldn't control the clock. Fixing the run game is step one.
Actionable insights for followers
If you're betting on or following the Cardinals' trajectory for the 2026 season, watch these specific metrics:
- Red Zone Defense: In 2025, they were bottom-five. If they don't bring in a veteran linebacker or a high-round edge rusher, expect the losing trend to continue.
- Offensive Balance: They ranked 32nd in rushing attempts last year. A team that can't run the ball can't protect a lead.
- Draft Capital: With a 3-14 finish, they’ll have a top-three pick. Whether they trade back for more assets or take a generational defensive talent will tell you exactly how serious the front office is about a fast rebuild.
The record is what it is, but in the NFL, "worst to first" happens more often than you'd think. It just hasn't happened in Arizona for a while.