The Arizona Cardinals have worn their Color Rush uniform six times and it has never resulted in a victory for the franchise.
When the Arizona Cardinals took the field donning their Color Rush uniforms on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, you just knew the game wasn’t going to end well.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray pulled off his greatest impression of former Denver Broncos signal-caller John Elway, looking as though he would drive 99 yards in just over two minutes to seal an eighth straight win for Arizona.
Then Cardinals receiver A.J. Green found himself on a different page than his quarterback and it led to Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas, who has played on three teams in five seasons, recording his first interception since 2018. It dropped Arizona to 0-6 all-time in their Color Rush combo since they debuted the look in 2017.
The NFL is full of superstitions, and the Cardinals aren’t the only team with “jinxed” uniforms. Fire up the search engines and scour through the Dallas Cowboys and their “jinxed” blue jerseys. Look at how many teams try to evoke the curse, forcing them to wear the infamous blues when playing Dallas at home.
Arizona’s Color Rush uniform, which comprises black jerseys with metallic red numbers and black pants, has reached a new infamy level.
Let’s revisit all six losses in the following slides, starting with their debut.
Week 10 vs. Seattle Seahawks (2017)
The Cardinals debuted their Color Rush uniform in Week 10 of the 2017 season, in a Thursday night loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It was a game where running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 29 yards on 21 carries. And quarterback Drew Stanton completed just over half his passes for 273 yards and 5.8 yards per pass attempt.
Larry Fitzgerald provided a bright spot, recording 10 receptions for 113 yards. It was a game where the Cardinals made the final score respectable via a one-yard touchdown from Andre Ellington after trailing 22-10.
The Cardinals hung with the Seahawks for most of the contest. However, before tight-end, Jimmy Graham put the Seahawks up by two possessions in the fourth quarter. Russell Wilson cooked that night, tossing two touchdowns while receiver Doug Baldwin made quick work out of the Cardinals’ secondary, logging five receptions for 95 yards.
The November 9th affair was the only game in 2017 the Cardinals wore their Color Rush uniform. But they would don the threads in a future Thursday Night Game against the Seahawks in 2020.
Week 7 vs. Denver Broncos (2018)
The Cardinals again wore their Color Rush uniform in Week 7 of the 2018 season against the Denver Broncos. In their final game donning the Color Rush before the Kyler Murray/Kliff Kingsbury Era, the Cardinals suffered the first of a pair of 45-10 losses on the season (the second came against the Los Angeles Chargers).
In this one, the Cardinals never had a shot, falling behind 35-3 at halftime. Josh Rosen struggled, completing 21-of-39 passes for 194 yards for a touchdown and three interceptions. While he only logged three catches, Christian Kirk served as a deep threat with 57 receiving yards in the debacle.
While Broncos quarterback Case Keenum put up pedestrian numbers, Phillip Lindsay stole the show and rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, gashing the Cardinals’ defense with 6.4 yards per carry.
The Cardinals’ lone touchdown came in the third quarter when Rosen connected with Larry Fitzgerald for a four-yard touchdown.
Week 9 vs. San Francisco 49ers (2019)
The Cardinals next wore the Color Rush on Halloween Night in a mid-week scuffle against the 49ers. It was the first time Kyler Murray wore the look, and he looked like the future franchise quarterback he has now become, throwing for two touchdown passes.
It was a night former Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake lit up the highlight reel, rushing for 110 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Andy Isabella scored an 88-yard touchdown on his sole reception of the game.
It was a game not much different from their most recent Thursday Night affair against the Green Bay Packers.
Down by two scores in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals roared back with 11 unanswered points, with Isabella’s touchdown reception jolting life back into State Farm Stadium. But as with the outing against Green Bay, the deficit was too large to overcome, and the Cardinals lost 28-25.
Week 11 vs. Seattle Seahawks (2020)
On November 19th, 2020, the Cardinals found themselves tied for the NFC West lead at 6-3. They were actually atop the West via tiebreaker. And they were coming off of one of the most memorable games in franchise history, as the “Hail Murray” occurred just the previous Sunday.
The game was the opposite of the offensive shootout that occurred earlier that season in State Farm Stadium, when the Cardinals and Seahawks went back and forth, only for the Cardinals to win it in overtime.
While Murray and Russell Wilson had good showings, the game remained defensive, heading into the fourth quarter with the Seahawks holding onto a 23-14 lead. The Cardinals made things interesting on a Chase Edmonds touchdown that brought them to within two points before the Seahawks turned the tide with a safety and a field goal late.
The Cardinals had one more chance to score and force their second overtime against the Seahawks. But a Kyler Murray sack sealed the deal, and the Cardinals dropped yet another game in their Color Rush uniform.
Week 13 vs. Los Angeles Rams (2020)
This game saw a lot of action in the fourth quarter, but Dan Arnold’s 59-yard touchdown reception started things off with a bang for the Cardinals. They shut the Rams out in the first quarter before their NFC West rivals got it together to score 17 unanswered points in the second and first part of the third quarter.
After trailing 17-7, the Cardinals brought the game within one score on a DeAndre Hopkins touchdown to make the score 17-14. The Cardinals found themselves trailing 24-21 early in the fourth quarter before the Rams scored a pair of touchdowns to turn the affair into a three-possession game.
The Cardinals tacked on another touchdown to make the score a little more respectable, but it was too late for any real chance of a comeback. This game was part of the downward spiral that eventually saw the Cardinals eliminated from playoff contention following a Week 17 loss to the Rams.
Week 8 vs. Green Bay Packers (2021)
And finally, the most recent installment of the Cardinals’ Color Rush tour game this past Thursday against the Green Bay Packers. It was a game where the Cardinals’ offense looked inept for most of the contest, scoring just 14 points over the first three quarters.
But a fourth-quarter touchdown brought the Cardinals within three points before a defensive stand at the goal line gave Kyler Murray and Company one more chance to score. The drive started at the one-yard-line, and over the game’s closing moments, it looked like the Cardinals were about to pull off the improbable.
But miscommunication between Murray and receiver A.J. Green sealed the deal for the Packers, and it handed the Cardinals their first loss of the season. Coupled with their first loss in 2021, the Packers handed the Cardinals their sixth straight loss while wearing the Color Rush uniform.
We will see if the Cardinals wear the look again this season, or if they opt to wear their black-on-white alternates again. But if the Cardinals opt for the Color Rush again, history is not on their side when they don the look.