Twenty-Five Greatest Players in Cardinals History
By Jeremy Meek
Jim Hart was a good player for many years.
Longevity is a skill, and one Hart had in spades. He started one game as a rookie, then proceeded to take the starting job for the next 15 seasons. He had mixed results as an NFL passer.
Other than his ability to play into his late 30s, Hart didn’t have a remarkable career. His record as a starter is almost exactly .500. 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. It should be noted, in the interest of fairness, that he played during the Dead Ball Era, and nobody had great numbers. His were not as bad as they seem.
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. He was in the top five in passing touchdowns three times. His best years were from 1974 to 1977. During that four year span, he averaged more than 2,600 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl in each of those four seasons, had a 38-18 record, and led the team to two playoff trips.