The 2020 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 101st in the National Football League (NFL), their 33rd in Arizona and their second under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. It was also the first full season since 1971 without the ownership of Bill Bidwill, who died during the 2019 season.
The team improved on their 5–10–1 record from the previous year beginning the season 6–3; however, the Cardinals suffered a late season collapse, losing five of their last seven games and missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season after losing to the rival Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. The Cardinals finished tied with the Chicago Bears for the last Wild Card spot, but lost the tiebreaker.
The 2020 season featured the Hail Murray, as during Week 10 on November 15, trailing the Buffalo Bills 30–26 with eleven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Kyler Murray completed a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins with one second remaining to lift the Cardinals over the Bills in a miraculous 32–30 victory.
Roster changes
Free agents Position Player 2020 team Notes WR Larry Fitzgerald UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year OT Marcus Gilbert UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year OT D. J. Humphries UFA Arizona Cardinals 3 years OG Max Garcia UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year TE Charles Clay UFA TBD TBD QB Brett Hundley UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year DE Rodney Gunter UFA Jacksonville Jaguars 3 years LB Brooks Reed UFA Tennessee Titans 1 year C A.Q. Shipley UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1 year OT Jordan Mills UFA TBD TBD DE Clinton McDonald UFA TBD TBD DT Cassius Marsh UFA Jacksonville Jaguars 1 year CB Josh Shaw UFA TBD TBD DT Jonathan Bullard UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year RB Kenyan Drake UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year NT Zach Kerr UFA Carolina Panthers 2 years NT Caraun Reid UFA Jacksonville Jaguars 1 year S Chris Banjo UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year CB Brandon Williams UFA New York Giants 4 years WR Pharoh Cooper UFA Carolina Panthers 1 year WR Damiere Byrd UFA New England Patriots 1 year S Charles Washington UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year RB D. J. Foster UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year LB Keishawn Bierria UFA TBD TBD LB Joe Walker UFA San Francisco 49ers 1 year K Zane Gonzalez UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year OT William Sweet UFA San Francisco 49ers 1 year OT Justin Murray UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year CB Kevin Peterson UFA Arizona Cardinals 1 year Player re-signed by the Cardinals Player not re-signed by the Cardinals
Signings Position Player 2019 team Date signed Notes DT Jordan Phillips UFA Buffalo Bills March 19 3 years, $30 million LB Devon Kennard UFA Detroit Lions March 19 3 years, $20 million LB De'Vondre Campbell UFA Atlanta Falcons March 19 1 year, $6 million DT Trevon Coley UFA Indianapolis Colts March 25 1 year, $825,000
Trades March 20: The Cardinals traded a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft and RB David Johnson to the Houston Texans for WR DeAndre Hopkins.
Draft
2020 Arizona Cardinals Draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 8 Isaiah Simmons OLB Clemson 3 72 Josh Jones OT Houston 4 114 Leki Fotu DT Utah 131 Rashard Lawrence DT LSU from Houston 6 202 Evan Weaver LB California from New England 7 222 Eno Benjamin RB Arizona State Notes The Cardinals will forfeit their fifth-round selection after selecting safety Jalen Thompson in the 2019 supplemental draft. The Cardinals traded their sixth-round selection to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for cornerback Jamar Taylor. The Cardinals acquired a 2020 sixth-round pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for offensive tackle Korey Cunningham. The Cardinals traded their 2020 second-round selection, as well as a fourth-round selection in the 2021 NFL draft and running back David Johnson to the Houston Texans in exchange for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a 2020 fourth-round selection.
Undrafted free agents Player Position College Ryan Becker TE SMU Jake Benzinger OT Wake Forest Jermiah Braswell WR Youngstown State T.J. Carter DT Kentucky Jackson Dennis OT Holy Cross Drew Dickinson OG Findlay Reggie Floyd DB Virginia Tech Steven Gonzalez OT Penn State Parker Houston TE San Diego State Noah Togiai TE Oregon State Shane Leatherbury WR Towson Zane Lewis DB Air Force Rashad Medaris WR Cincinnati Devin Phelps WR Shepherd Adam Shuler DT Florida Reggie Walker LB Kansas State JoJo Ward WR Hawaii Jonathan Ward RB Central Michigan Jace Whittaker DB Arizona Jarren Williams DB Albany Bejour Wilson DB Liberty
Staff
Final roster
Preseason The Cardinals' preseason schedule was announced on May 7, but was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Week Date Opponent Venue Result 1 at Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2 Kansas City Chiefs State Farm Stadium 3 at Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium 4 Denver Broncos State Farm Stadium
Regular season
Schedule The Cardinals' 2020 schedule was announced on May 7.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 at San Francisco 49ers W 24–20 1–0 Levi's Stadium Recap 2 September 20 Washington Football Team W 30–15 2–0 State Farm Stadium Recap 3 September 27 Detroit Lions L 23–26 2–1 State Farm Stadium Recap 4 October 4 at Carolina Panthers L 21–31 2–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 5 October 11 at New York Jets W 30–10 3–2 MetLife Stadium Recap 6 at Dallas Cowboys W 38–10 4–2 AT&T Stadium Recap 7 October 25 Seattle Seahawks W 37–34 5–2 State Farm Stadium Recap 8 Bye 9 November 8 Miami Dolphins L 31–34 5–3 State Farm Stadium Recap 10 November 15 Buffalo Bills W 32–30 6–3 State Farm Stadium Recap 11 at Seattle Seahawks L 21–28 6–4 Lumen Field Recap 12 November 29 at New England Patriots L 17–20 6–5 Gillette Stadium Recap 13 December 6 Los Angeles Rams L 28–38 6–6 State Farm Stadium Recap 14 December 13 at New York Giants W 26–7 7–6 MetLife Stadium Recap 15 December 20 Philadelphia Eagles W 33–26 8–6 State Farm Stadium Recap 16 San Francisco 49ers L 12–20 8–7 State Farm Stadium Recap 17 January 3 at Los Angeles Rams L 7–18 8–8 SoFi Stadium Recap Notes Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
With the win, the Cardinals won their first game of the season for the first time since 2015 and the first time in an away game since 2010.
Week 2: vs. Washington Football Team
With this win, the Cardinals started 2-0 for the first time since 2015.
Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions
The Cardinals attempted to win their game over the Lions since 2015, but instead with the upset loss, the Cardinals fell to 2–1 for the first time since 2010.
Week 4: at Carolina Panthers
Week 5: at New York Jets
Week 6: at Dallas Cowboys With the win, the Cardinals not only advanced to 4–2, they also won their first road MNF game since 1977.
Week 7: vs. Seattle Seahawks This was the Cardinals' first Sunday Night Football appearance since 2016, which was also against the Seahawks at home. This was the Cardinals' first home win over the Seahawks since 2012.
Week 9: vs. Miami Dolphins
Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a game-tying 49-yard field goal.
Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills
In the final seconds of game, Kyler Murray threw a game winning touchdown pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins with two seconds left after he leaped over three defenders in the end zone to make the catch. The play came at the end of a game in which the Cardinals rallied from a 23–9 deficit early in the third quarter, and from a 30–26 deficit after Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs with less than 40 seconds left.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 6–3. This was the first time a successful game-winning Hail Mary catch in the fourth quarter was made since Aaron Rodgers threw one in a 2015 game against the Detroit Lions.
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 12: at New England Patriots
Week 13: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week 14: at New York Giants
Week 15: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 16: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 17: at Los Angeles Rams
With the loss, the Cardinals went 3–6 in their last 9 games after starting 5–2.
Standings
Division
Conference
Notes
References
External links