Arizona Cardinals: Best of the 1990’s

The Arizona Cardinals didn’t win much during the 1990’s but some excellent players wore their uniform nevertheless

The 1990’s weren’t very kind to the Arizona Cardinals. The team did get one playoff win, a 20-7 triumph over the Dallas Cowboys in January of 1999. But overall, the team and it’s fans suffered through eight losing campaigns in 10 years.

The following are some Cardinals who made the ’90s worth watching.

Aeneas Williams CB- The 59th overall pick of the 1991 draft was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Williams collected 46 interceptions as a Cardinal, returning six for touchdowns. He was masterful in the playoff victory versus Dallas, blanketing Michael Irvin and picking off Troy Aikman twice.

Larry Centers RB- One of the most popular Cards to ever play in the desert. “Self” Centers, as ESPN’s Chris Berman once called him, was an outstanding pass-catcher out of the backfield. During the 1995-96 seasons alone, he caught 200 balls, tallying 962 receiving yards in ’95.

Eric Swann DT- Swann’s story was unique. He was the sixth-overall pick in the 1991 draft and made two Pro Bowls (1995-96) without playing a down of college football. He recorded 376 tackles and 45.5 quarterback sacks in 10 seasons with the Cardinals.

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Rob Moore WR- Moore was one of the most underrated receivers of his time. He racked up 322 receptions, 5,110 yards and 27 scores with Arizona. His best campaign was in ’97, when he snagged 97 passes for 1,584 yards and eight touchdowns.

Simeon Rice DE- Rice tallied 51.5 sacks in five years with the Cards. He rattled off five consecutive double-digit sack campaigns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after fleeing the Valley as a free agent in 2001. Why he wasn’t designated the club’s franchise player to prevent him from leaving is anybody’s guess.

Lomas Brown LT- The seven-time Pro Bowler joined Arizona in 1996 after 11 seasons with the Detroit Lions. He was a rock for the Cards at the most important position on the offensive line for three years, starting 46 contests. One of his seven Pro Bowl appearances came as a Cardinal in ’96.

Frank Sanders WR- Sanders and Moore formed quite a tandem for quarterback Jake “The Snake” Plummer in the late ’90s. The 1995 second-round draft pick caught 75 balls for 1,017 yards in ’97, and 89 for 1,145 in ’98. He found the end zone 24 times in eight years with the Cardinals.