In 2004, the Cardinals desperately needed a long-term quarterback. Newly appointed HC Dennis Green had said that there were slim chances that his side would recruit one in the upcoming draft as they had Josh McCown. However, he singled out a name as the best player in the draft. Two months later, they would pick 20-year-0ld University of Pittsburgh wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr, as the third overall pick and it would prove to be a franchise-changing draft.

His rookie season saw him register 58 catches for 780 yards and eight touchdowns and the Cardinals knew they had something special on their hands. Nearly five years after being drafted, he would lead the franchise to their only Super Bowl appearance in 2009. Fitz didn’t just play the game; he rewrote the playbook. With 1432 receptions, 121 touchdowns, and 17,492 receiving yards, he’s second only to the GOAT Jerry Rice in all-time catches and receiving yards. But it wasn’t just about the numbers. Fitz was the heart and soul of the Cardinals, a beacon of hope in the sometimes-barren football landscape of Arizona.

Remember the 2008 playoffs? Fitz went on a tear that would make a roadrunner jealous, “obliterating numerous records” and leaving defenders in his dust. His 2016 “Hail Larry” against the Packers was another showcase of his enduring legacy. Fans also saw his career-best game against the Bears in 2o15, where he notched up eight catches, 112 yards, and three touchdowns.

So, when the NFL carved out a Mount Rushmore of gridiron greats in the scorching heat of the Arizona desert, Larry Fitzgerald Jr stood at the peak.

Fitzgerald Jr. was 2 minutes and 37 seconds away from delivering the Cardinals’ maiden Super Bowl title in 2009 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fitzgerald’s 64-yard touchdown reception, which had put them ahead with less than three minutes remaining, was described by the NFL as “the greatest moment in recent Cardinals memory,” in the video naming the Mount Rushmore of the franchise. Even though the Steelers would prevail  27–23, Fitzgerald’s legacy remains intact.

After 11 Pro Bowl appearances in a career spanning nearly two decades, Fitzgerald holds the franchise record in receiving yards receptions, and touchdowns. Having called time on his playing career in 2022, he would be remembered for giving the Cardinal fans some of the best moments on the gridiron.

In 2016, his overtime heroics, bettered Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary as the Arizona Cardinals earned a 26-20 win and a place in NFC Championship. As the Cardinals fans pinned their hopes on him, Fitzgerald turned a short pass into a 75-yard gain on the first play of OT to set up his five-yard shovel pass reception for the winning score. “Larry, Larry,”  chants echoed through the stadium as Fitz had his moment.

Meanwhile, Fitz was joined by other big names from the Cardinals history in the franchise’s Mount Rushmore.

First up, Larry Wilson, the safety with a nose for the ball and a penchant for pick-sixes. Wilson’s seven career defensive touchdowns were nightmares for opposing quarterbacks. As the franchise leader in interceptions with 52, Wilson was the best at his position for a five-year stretch in the late 1960s. He spent his entire career with the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-1972), earning eight Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro selections during his run. Wilson was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. He would serve as Director of Pro Personnel for the Cardinals from 1980-1987, then vice president and general manager from 1988-1993, and finally as vice president from 1994-2002.

Next, we’ve got Aeneas Williams, the shutdown corner who could lock down receivers tighter than a xerophyte holds onto water.  A third-round pick in 1991, Williams was a Pro Bowl regular from 1994 to 1999. He had 46 interceptions in 10 seasons with Arizona, while his eight career defensive scores are the most in club history, proving he knew how to take it to the house.

Interestingly, Williams never missed a game when he played for the Cardinals. He was involved in all but one (during his rookie season) of those 160 games.

Rounding out the group of four is Dan Dierdorf, the immovable object on the offensive line. Before he was calling games from the booth, Dierdorf was pancaking defenders for 13 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. Six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams later, Dierdorf helped the Cardinals go 31-11 from 1974 to 1976, a golden era for the franchise.

But wait, there’s more! The honorable mentions list reads like a who’s who of Cardinals history. There’s Roger Wehrli, the shutdown corner with 40 picks in his 14-year career. Patrick Peterson, the modern-day defensive back who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons. And let’s not forget Charley Trippi, the Swiss Army knife who scored touchdowns in five different ways and helped the Cardinals win the 1947 NFL title.

Now, as we tip our caps to these legends, all eyes turn to the future and the young gunslinger looking to etch his name in Cardinals lore – Kyler Murray.

Kyler Murray is aiming for the summit

Murray, the former number-one overall pick, has been slinging the rock and juking defenders since day one. But individual accolades aren’t enough for this young QB. As he told The Schmo at the Celebrity Slam Jam Basketball Game in April this year, “Honestly man for me, to be blessed and in the NFL is a dream of mine to be where I’m at right now. So to be living that out – my biggest goal is to win Super Bowls. So we got to get there. As far as everything I’ve accomplished I’m not satisfied.”

Murray’s not just talk. In 2023, despite playing only a handful of games, he racked up 1,799 passing yards and 1,040 rushing yards, finishing 4th in the league in rushing yards per game. But for Murray and the Cardinals, it’s not about padding stats – it’s about winning games.

With new head coach Jonathan Gannon and GM Monti Ossenfort calling the shots, the Cardinals are locked and loaded for a turnaround. Murray’s got more weapons at his disposal than John Wayne at the O.K. Corral, and he’s ready to use them.

So while Fitzgerald, Wilson, Williams, and Dierdorf hold their place on the Cardinals’ Mount Rushmore, don’t count out the kid with the golden arm and lightning legs. Kyler Murray’s gunning for the top, and in the NFL, today’s underdog could be tomorrow’s top dog. The sky’s the limit for this Cardinal ready to take flight. And if he takes the Cardinals to Super Bowl glory, he likely displace one of the legends from the summit.