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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals S Jalen Thompson believes team will be 'defensive-led' in 2025
Arizona Cardinals S Jalen Thompson believes team will be 'defensive-led' in 2025 Jalen Thompson believes the additions to the D-line and secondary will make the Cardinals defense what lead the team. The Arizona Cardinals have been known as an offensively led team for several years, basically since quarterback Kyler Murray was drafted first overall in 2019. Since Murray came back from his ACL tear two seasons ago, the offense has been a top-10 unit in terms of efficiency. Will that continue? Safety Jalen Thompson doesn't think so. "This is gonna be a defensive-led team in my opinion," Thompson said on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM last week during the first week of OTAs. "I just think that it's one of those things where, like we were talking about a little bit earlier, we were in games, a lot of games last year with the defense, and we could have won those games if we had a little more, I feel like." The Cardinals lost by one score to the Buffalo Bills and had no answer for Josh Allen. They gave up a game-winning score in the final minutes against the Minnesota Vikings and allowed the Carolina Panthers to score 36 points. One stop in those three games and the Cardinals are an 11-win team and in the postseason. "This year should be a little bit different," Thompson said. "We got the D-line, some new guys in the D-line. We got some new guys in the in the DB room that are all ready to go. They're intentional, they come to practice, they're consistent. "I think that should be good for us." In free agency, the signed OLB Josh Sweat, DL Dalvin Tomlinson and DL Calais Campbell, They re-signed OLB Baron Browning and DL L.J. Collier. OLB BJ Ojulari, DL Justin Jones and DL Bilal Nichols are all coming back from injuries. They drafted DL Walter Nolen in the first round and CB Will Johnson in the second round. This defense should the best unit from the Cardinals we have seen since the first half of the 2021 season. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray would make change to offseason schedule
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray would make change to offseason schedule Murray isn't a fan of how teams get momentum after weeks of the offseason program only to then be gone for a month before camp The Arizona Cardinals will begin their offseason program on April 22, beginning with strength and conditioning and then leading up to OTAs and minicamp, They will finish the offseason program and break for the summer until training camp after June 12. Training camp doesn't pick up until the end of July. Quarterback Kyler Murray would love to see the offseason schedule changed. Appearing on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, he was asked about OTAs and the offseason. "The only knock I have on OTAs would probably be the fact that we come together and then we have to leave for a month as you're training together" he said. "You're kind of building up this momentum and then everybody just goes away. So if it was up to me, either you push back OTAs and just once you start and you get there, you kind of roll on into the season that way. This was something that the league and the NFLPA were supposedly going to discuss for the offseason schedule. Last offseason there was talk of perhaps giving players more time off before the offseason program, starting it later and having a longer ramp-up leading in to camp, so rather than workouts beginning in April, they perhaps would start at the end of May and the three phases of the offseason program would lead right into training camp and into the season. But that hasn't happened yet, so Murray will probably, in the weeks leading up to camp, organize a time when he and his receivers and skill players can get together and work out and practice together, just as he did last offseason. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
01-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals radio analyst Ron Wolfley stepping down after 20 years
Arizona Cardinals radio analyst Ron Wolfley stepping down after 20 years There will be a new radio voice for Cardinals fans in 2025 alongside Dave Pasch It is the end of an era for Arizona Cardinals fans. After 20 years as the team's color analyst on radio broadcasts, Ron Wolfley is stepping down from that role with the team, he announced on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Friday. He will still be part of the team's weekly radio show "Big Red Rage" and will continue as part of the "Wolf and Luke" show on the radio on 98.7 weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This now frees his weekends during the football season. He gave this statement: First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His providence and provision in my life. Having said that, it is with a thankful and grateful heart, I'd like to announce I'm stepping down as the Arizona Cardinals radio analyst. I would like to thank my wife, Stephanie, my kids, Savannah and Vedder, and my football family for all of the support I have received throughout the years. I'd like to thank Michael Bidwill and the Bidwill family for 27 incredible years within the organization as a player and broadcaster. In almost three decades, my time with the organization was filled with love, respect and professionalism. The game of football is in my blood. I come from a football family. God used football in my life and I'm so grateful to Him for allowing me to 'strap on the boots and bloody-up the knuckles.' But it's time to slow down, be a father, be present with my kids and serve my God and my family better. The Wolf & Luke show will continue! Being able to put on the headphones and talk about the games I love makes me feel like I'm 22, in the tunnel and ready to go. Thank you, Bonneville Phoenix, for allowing me to broadcast and remember what it was like to play the greatest game at the highest level. The search for a new broadcast partner with play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch now begins. Wolfley's distinct voice and quirky sayings have been adored by fans. He has a place in longtime Cardinals fans' hearts because he was a Pro Bowl special teams player for the Cardinals when they first moved from St. Louis to Arizona. His voice has been synonymous with Cardinals highlights and the Arizona sports scene as long as I can remember as someone who was born and raised in the Phoenix area. He will be missed in game broadcasts. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
23-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Cardinals owner 'strongly' denies all recent accusations made by former assistant
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill is under fire again for his workplace behavior. However, he denies any of the allegations. His former personal assistant Brittany Neuheisel recently filed suit against him, alleging wrongful discharge, harassment and more. Bidwill addressed the allegations in an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM this past week on Friday. 'It's a privilege to be in this position and all these positions,' he said. 'Just like in the entertainment industry and CEOs of businesses and CEOs of sports teams and owners, there are going to be times where things come up where people make allegations. You've got to go through the process. Sometimes it's a more lengthy process, but we're going to defend this. We strongly deny all these allegations and look forward to the process that we can stand our ground and make sure we defend ourselves strongly, which we will.' He continued. 'Often times, you see the reality is much different than what's alleged. And allegations are simply that: just allegations, so we look forward to moving forward. It just comes with the territory here, and I understand that. There are going to be critics out there and we're just going to be focused on building a great organization, great team.' This is not the first time his workplace behavior has come into question. Former team executive Terry McDonough also sued Bidwill and the Cardinals and was awarded $3 million. Former COO Ron Minegar also spoke about a bad workplace culture after he left the organization. But Bidwill believes that reality is different than perception. 'I think there's a perception outside the building that a few people want to carry on,' he said. 'We've gone through a lot of changes over the last couple of years and brought in new leadership. I'm excited about the leadership team we have both on the football and the business side.' Jeremy Walls is now the COO and Shaun Mayo is chief people officer, overseeing a human resources department that previously did not exist. 'We've done a great job of building up a culture. and you come over to our business operations center and you see that every day,' he said. What he says and what others seem to say differ greatly. How this lawsuit plays out is something to watch in the weeks and months to come, and whether we hear more problems. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
