The organization the Arizona Cardinals want to be

For the last ten years, the Arizona Cardinals have been emulating one of the National Football League’s best organizations

It’s hard to blame Arizona Cardinals’ President Michael Bidwill. Since taking over the club in 2007, the former federal prosecutor appears to be following a blueprint. It’s a blueprint that resembles one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There’s no denying that the Cards have borrowed heavily from the late, great Art Rooney’s organization. A bevy of coaches and players have migrated West from the “Steel City”. So many, in fact, that the Cardinals have since been dubbed “Steelers West” by some.

The admiration for their Eastern counterpart seems to have begun a decade ago. It was in 2007 that Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt left his team to become Arizona’s head coach. A few of the Steelers’ assistants would follow him to the desert during his six-year tenure as the Cards’ head guy. A list that consisted of Russ Grimm, Ray Horton, Mike Miller and Kevin Spencer.

Players joining Whisenhunt from the “Black and Gold” made up a much bigger group. Some of the better ones included Alan Faneca, Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, William Gay and Sean Morey. Other defectors included Bryant McFadden, Oliver Ross, Nick Eason, Brian St. Pierre, Crezdon Butler, Jerame Tuman, Chukky Okobi and Keydrick Vincent.

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After firing Whisenhunt at the end of the 2012 campaign, the Cardinals’ brass once again looked to the East. Current head coach Bruce Arians, another former Steelers’ offensive coordinator, was handed the job. He too would hire assistants from his former squad. Coming along were Tom Moore, Harold Goodwin, Brentson Buckner, Amos Jones, Larry Zierlein and Larry Foote (who also played a season in Arizona).

With Arians came a whole new set of former Steelers’ players. Center A.Q. Shipley, defensive end Josh Mauro and outside linebacker Jarvis Jones currently reside on the roster. Others from the past four years; Rashard Mendenhall, LaMarr Woodley, Drew Butler, Jonathan Dwyer, Max Starks and Alameda Ta’amu.

It’s apparent that our Cardinals have been significantly influenced. But if they’re gonna mimic another team, copying one that has won six Super Bowls is the way to go. Now, if only they can win a Super Bowl of their own.

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