All Eyes on Carson Palmer for Arizona Cardinals Fans
By Jeremy Meek
Carson Palmer makes one last attempt to win the championship that has, so far, eluded him
For a quarterback, more than any other position, winning a championship ring means a lot. Sure, all-time greats like Dan Marino and Fran Tarkenton can get away with not having one, but for most, it’s a necessity to preserve their place in history. It wasn’t that long ago, that people wondered about Peyton Manning’s legacy if he didn’t win the big one.
Enter Carson Palmer.
Over the course of his career, Palmer has been somewhere between very good and great. Early in his career, he seemed to be on the cusp of being labeled as elite. In 2005, it seemed like a formality that he’d be on the top level. He led the league in completion percentage, touchdown passes, and got the Cincinnati Bengals back to the playoffs for the first time since the early 1990’s. It didn’t turn out quite the way he wanted, though.
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A playoff injury, and subsequent setbacks over the next few years, followed by an ugly breakup with the team that drafted him left Palmer as an afterthought when discussing the league’s best quarterbacks. From 2006 through 2012, between Cincinnati and the Oakland Raiders, his teams posted a record of 37-55. He also became known more for pick-sixes than for winning games.
Fast forward to the present and Palmer enters his fifth year as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. He has revived his career and his reputation. His 2015 season approached the level he performed at ten years before. He also hadn’t been closer to a championship since 2005.
Unfortunately, 2016 came along and brought back memories of those lean years. His completion percentage went down while his interception percentage went up. The team wound up falling under .500 for the first time in the Palmer era as well.
The 2017 might be Palmer’s last. At 37 years old, the end is in sight, and he’d love to go out with a bang. He still has the cannon arm, and his team certainly respects him and wants to win for him. Does he still have what it takes to get that ring, though?
Palmer thinks so. Otherwise, why return? The Cardinals believe in him too, and didn’t bother to get anyone to compete with him for the starter’s role. He’s had a pretty terrific career, from a numbers standpoint, but that’s not what people will remember. The injury in 2005, the Cincinnati divorce fiasco, and decidedly un-clutch playoff performances are what will define his career.
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A ring changes the perception, however. If he wins a championship to close out his career, he leaves a different lasting image. For Carson Palmer, and thus Cardinals fans, that is the story of 2017. Can he retire on top, or is he doomed to be another really good quarterback who wasn’t quite good enough? It may not be fair, but if he doesn’t get his ring, it’ll be the latter.