Former owner Bill Bidwill to join 18 Arizona Cardinals legends in team's Ring of Honor
The Arizona Cardinals on Friday announced that the late Bill Bidwill, former owner of the team whose association with it spanned eight decades, will be inducted into the organization's Ring of Honor at the regular season opener on Sept. 11.
A ceremony will take place at halftime of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium.
Bidwill, who died in October 2019 at the age of 88, began a full-time role with the Cardinals in 1960, the team's first season in St. Louis. He was a team ball boy as a child when the team was based in Chicago.
In 2017, Bidwill — often called by his moniker "Mr. B." — was enshrined in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. His son Michael is now the principal owner and president of the Cardinals, the third generation of Bidwills to hold that position.
Bidwill was among the first owners to make diversity part of hiring team employees in prominent positions. With Bidwill in charge, the Cardinals hired the NFL's first African American female executive, Adele Harris; the first African American contract negotiator, Bob Wallace; and the first African American head coach and general manager tandem in Dennis Green and Rod Graves.
In 2015, the team established the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship to increase diversity and provide opportunities to gain NFL coaching experience. At the 2010 annual NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Bidwill was honored with the Paul “Tank” Younger Award from the Fritz Pollard Alliance, whose purpose is to promote diversity and equality of job opportunities in the NFL.
"I knew of him. My dad knew his (Michael's) dad. It's extremely well deserved," said Cardinals linebacker Devon Kennard, whose father Derek played for the team when Bill Bidwill was owner.
Bidwill will become the 19th individual inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor, which was created in 2006 to coincide with the opening of State Farm Stadium. The Ring of Honor currently includes Bidwill's father Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. (owner), Jimmy Conzelman (coach), players Dan Dierdorf, John “Paddy” Driscoll, Marshall Goldberg, Roy Green, Jim Hart, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Ollie Matson, Ernie Nevers, Carson Palmer, Pat Tillman, Charley Trippi, Kurt Warner, Roger Wehrli, Aeneas Williams, Adrian Wilson and Larry Wilson.
Camp breaks
The Cardinals on Friday morning held a light walk-through practice that officially ended training camp for the 2022 season. The team moves practices to its Tempe facility going forward, after the Cardinals head to Tennessee to take part in joint practices and a preseason game with the Titans next week.
Not having a full practice was well received by the players, head coach Kliff Kingsbury said.
"Competitive camp. We had some guys get nicked up here and there, nothing too serious yet, which is always a blessing. And hopefully it stays that way," Kingsbury said.
Kingsbury said one player who has stood out to him in camp is cornerback Antonio Hamilton, whom he feels has taken over the No. 2 cornerback spot ahead of Marco Wilson at present.
McSorley to face former team
It figures to be another opportunity for extended playing time for Cardinals quarterback Trace McSorley when the Cardinals host the Baltimore Ravens in their second preseason game Sunday. McSorley, a former Raven, shined last Friday, leading the Cardinals on four scoring drives in the first half including three touchdowns at Cincinnati.
The Ravens have a 21-game winning streak in preseason games, of which McSorley was a part when he played there.
"They treat it like you go out to win the game. It's not just a preseason game for them," McSorley said. "For the starters and the veteran guys that aren't going to be playing, they even get on some of the younger guys saying 'hey, this means something, you've got to go out, show out and win.' They talk about winning preseason over there, it's not just about getting reps and trying to win a job."
McSorley said it would be "cool" to end Baltimore's streak.
With illness and injuries limiting the top two Cardinals quarterbacks in camp, McSorley and rookie Jarrett Guarantano each played a half last week and have gotten many more snaps with the offensive groups in practice than either anticipated going in.
"It's been a whirlwind. It's everything that I kind of dreamed of happening. I'm thankful that this organization gave me the opportunity to do this," said Guarantano, asked about what his first offseason workouts and training camp have meant to him. "It's been kind of crazy, kind of frantic, but I'm loving every second of it."
Guarantano was the recipient of Kyler Murray's fourth-quarter play calls last week in the preseason game, and he expects Murray to do so again Sunday.
Roster moves
The Cardinals on Friday re-signed offensive lineman Greg Long and released tight end Deon Yelder.
Long, released by the team last Sunday, originally signed with the Cardinals on May 16 as a rookie free agent from Purdue.
Yelder had two catches for 18 yards in the Cardinals’ preseason game last Friday, and was targeted four times.
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Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former owner Bill Bidwill to join 18 Cardinals legends in Ring of Honor
