Five Greatest Seasons in Arizona Cardinals History
By Jeremy Meek
4. Don Coryell led the Cardinals back to prominence, and 1975 was a big year
After back to back trips to the championship game in 1947 and 1948, the Cardinals went through some lean years. Finally, in 1973, the team brought in Don Coryell as head coach, and it paid off right away. In his second season, he had the team back in the playoffs, and his best season with the Cardinals came the next year, in 1975.
The Cardinals had one of the NFL’s best offenses that season, finishing seventh in scoring and fifth in yards. They started slow, but after getting to a 2-2 record, they won nine of their last ten games to close the season, and finished at 11-3. They would lose their first playoff game, unfortunately.
Coryell’s time with the Cardinals was a mostly huge success. This was also quarterback Jim Hart’s heyday, and he made his second straight Pro Bowl that season. Running back Jim Otis and receiver Mel Gray also had Pro Bowl seasons in that offense. That team also featured Roger Wehrli and Dan Dierdorf, both eventual Hall of Famers. It was a fun era of Cardinals football, and 1975 was a great year.