Top 5 Arizona Cardinals Quarterbacks of All Time

When considering the best players in Cardinals history, quarterback isn't the first position that comes to mind. However, the franchise history of the position is sprinkled with plenty of notable talent. Read on to learn more about the top five quarterbacks in Cardinals history.

The helmet of Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, pictured during 2019 training camp. Murray hopes to become the next great Cardinals quarterback to wear the red and white / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Who Are the Greatest Cardinals Quarterbacks of All Time?

Throughout its 100 plus-year history, the Cardinals have struggled to find longevity at the quarterback position. When they do find a star, however, victories and playoff appearances always seem to follow. Each of the last five quarterbacks to start at least 50 games for the Cardinals has gone on to lead the team to postseason, often digging the franchise out of futility.

While legendary quarterbacks don't often come to mind when considering the Cardinals, their standout quarterbacks deserve to be celebrated. From one of the most tenured players in team history to a pair of veterans who finished their careers in Arizona, the best quarterbacks to play for the franchise have provided some of the Cardinals' most successful seasons.

A list of the five greatest Cardinals quarterbacks of all time follows, including a handful of honorable mentions. You'll also find franchise records among quarterbacks, as well as statistics for every quarterback that has ever played for the team since they last won the NFL championship in 1947.

Selection Criteria

• Legacy Honors (Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, retired number, etc.)
• Single Season Honors (MVP, All-Pro, Pro Bowl, league leader, etc.)
• On-Field Success (winning percentage, winning seasons, playoff appearances, etc.)
• Longevity (years with the Cardinals, percentage of career with the Cardinals, etc.)

Only games played with the Cardinals are factored into this list, so while Boomer Esiason is a prime candidate for a list about the Bengals, his seven games with the Cardinals won't make the cut here.

5. Jake Plummer

• Years With the Cardinals: 1997–2002
• Regular Season Record: 30–52
• Playoff Appearances: 1998
• Playoff Record: 1–1

Jason "Jake" Plummer was thrown right into the mix as a rookie after being selected as a second-round draft pick in 1997. He inherited an offense that had been rebuilt throughout the mid-1990s, and Plummer was selected as the final piece to get the Cardinals back to the playoffs. After moving into the starting lineup halfway through his first season, he proved he was just the man for the job.

He had a brilliant relief performance seven games into his rookie year in his first NFL action. He went on to finish the season as the starter, and he picked up three wins and several of the franchise's rookie records.

With that success, expectations were heightened in 1998, and he delivered. He propelled the Cardinals to a 9–7 record and their first playoff appearance since 1982. Then, he outdueled veteran Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and the Cowboys in the opening round of the postseason; the 20–7 victory was the first playoff win for the franchise since their NFL championship win in 1947. After that, Cowboys fans were certainly tired of seeing Plummer, who also torched the Dallas defense for 465 yards in a Week 11 matchup.

Plummer was not able to repeat that success, however. He threw a league-worst 24 interceptions in 1999, and 21 more in 2000. He started every game in 2001 and '02, but the Cardinals still finished below .500.

Plummer signed with the Broncos for the 2003 season. Over six seasons in Arizona, he connected on 1,540 of 2,754 passes for 17,622 yards and 90 touchdowns. Of his 10 games with at least 300 passing yards, seven came with the Cardinals, as did two of his five career four-touchdown games.

Jake Plummer's Cardinals Stats

Year	G	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
1997	10	9	3–6	157	296	2203	15	15
1998	16	16	9–7	324	547	3737	17	20
1999	12	11	3–8	201	381	2111	9	24
2000	14	14	3–11	270	475	2946	13	21
2001	16	16	7–9	304	525	3653	18	14
2002	16	16	5–11	284	530	2972	18	20

4. Neil Lomax

• Years With the Cardinals: 1981–88
• Regular Season Record: 47-52-2
• Playoff Appearances: 1982
• Playoff Record: 0–1
• Pro Bowl: 1984, '87

Neil Lomax was a mixed bag for the Cardinals. In most seasons, the second-round draft pick had average stats, but he also made two Pro Bowls in seasons where he posted superb numbers. All told, his eight-year career in St. Louis and Phoenix was relatively successful.

As a rookie in 1981, Lomax snatched the starting job from long-time quarterback Jim Hart. With the Cardinals clinging to the hope of making the playoffs with six games to go, Lomax delivered four wins—but it wasn't quite enough.

It was enough, however, to earn the permanent starting job in the strike-shortened 1982 season, and he lifted the team into the postseason for the first time since 1975. The Cardinals would lose to the Packers in the opening round of the playoffs, but not from a lack of effort by Lomax, who threw for 385 yards and two touchdowns.

By 1984, Lomax seemed to have developed himself into one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He smashed the team record for single-season passing yardage and matched the franchise's single-season mark for passing touchdowns on the way to his first Pro Bowl. He maintained his role as the primary starter for the Cardinals until he was forced to retire after the 1988 season due to arthritis in his hip. In 1987, he led the NFL in attempts, completions and passing yardage to make a second Pro Bowl.

In his career, Lomax completed 1,817 of 3,153 passes for 22,771 yards and 136 touchdowns. Each stat ranks second in team history. His best game came in 1984, when he completed 36 of 47 passes for 468 yards and two touchdowns against Washington. He also threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers in 1987, and he passed for four touchdowns in a 1983 matchup against the Seahawks.

Neil Lomax's Cardinals Stats

Year	G	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
1981	14	7	4–3	119	236	1575	4	10
1982	9	9	5–4	109	205	1367	5	6
1983	13	13	7-5-1	209	354	2636	24	11
1984	16	16	9–7	345	560	4614	28	16
1985	16	16	5–11	265	471	3214	18	12
1986	14	14	4-9-1	240	421	2583	13	12
1987	12	12	6–6	275	463	3387	24	12
1988	14	14	7–7	255	443	3395	20	11

Former Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer passes against the Packers during a 2015 NFC divisional round playoff game at University of Phoenix Stadium / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

3. Carson Palmer

• Years With the Cardinals: 2013–17
• Regular Season Record: 38-21-1
• Playoff Appearances: 2015
• Playoff Record: 1–1
• Pro Bowl: 2015
• All-Pro: 2015

Carson Palmer was somewhat written off after his career with the Bengals ended. But after two seasons with the Raiders, he came to the Cardinals and found a second wind that helped continue the best 10-year stretch in franchise history.

In 2013, Palmer set a new career high in passing yardage during his first season in Arizona—becoming the first quarterback to ever throw for 4,000 yards in a season for three teams. Despite earning 10 wins behind Palmer's arm, the Cardinals just missed that year's postseason.

The next season, Palmer looked even better, going undefeated through six games of the season and earning a contract extension. Two days after signing, however, he tore his ACL for the second time in his career and missed the remainder of the season.

He came back as strong as ever in 2015, however, leading the Cardinals to the NFC West championship and setting numerous franchise records. His career-high totals of 4,671 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns remain team records. He pushed his team to the conference title game with 349 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime victory over the Packers, in what was the first postseason win of his career. In 2016, he crossed the 4,000-yard mark again, but he suffered a broken arm in 2017 that ended his career.

Throughout five seasons with the Cardinals, Palmer completed 1,373 of 2,197 passes for 16,782 yards and 105 touchdowns. He holds three of the top five single-season yardage marks in franchise history. He threw for 400 yards in three games for the Cardinals and fired four touchdowns in another three matchups.

Carson Palmer's Cardinals Stats

Year	G	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
2013	16	16	10–6	362	572	4274	24	22
2014	6	6	6–0	141	224	1626	11	3
2015	16	16	13–3	342	537	4671	35	11
2016	15	15	6-8-1	364	597	4233	26	14
2017	7	7	3–4	164	267	1978	9	7

2. Jim Hart

• Years With the Cardinals: 1966–83
• Regular Season Record: 87-88-5
• Playoff Appearances: 1974–75
• Playoff Record: 0–2
• Pro Bowl: 1974–77
• All-Pro: 1974
• Major Awards: Cardinals Ring of Honor, United Press International NFC Player of the Year (1974)

James "Jim" Hart exemplifies longevity as well as any player in Cardinals history. He played 18 seasons for the franchise, becoming their all-time leading passer in nearly every category. A victory in the postseason eluded him and he struggled with interceptions, but he is still well-remembered as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Cardinals history.

Hart was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 1966, and he was named the starter a year later. He threw a league-worst 30 interceptions in 1967, but he also threw for more than 3,000 yards. The promise he showed that season kept him as the team's primary quarterback for most of the next 14 seasons. It wasn't until a coaching change in 1973 that Hart and his teammates were pushed to the next level.

From 1974 to '77, Hart flourished under Don Coryell's guidance. He never missed a start and made four straight Pro Bowls, while also leading the offense to the playoffs in 1974 and '75. He tossed a career-high 20 touchdowns in 1974, and his best single-season yardage mark came in 1978 when he threw for 3,121 yards. From 1978 to '81, Hart and the Cardinals began to tail off, and he was ultimately replaced in 1981 by rookie Neil Lomax.

During his long career, Hart completed 2,590 of 5,069 passes for 34,639 yards and 209 touchdowns. All of those marks are franchise records, but he also holds the dubious record of 247 interceptions thrown. His interception total was the second-most in NFL history (now 11th) when he retired. He never had any single games that stood out statistically, though he did throw for over 300 yards in a game 14 times and had three games with four touchdown passes. He completed a 98-yard pass to Ahmad Rashad against the Rams in 1972, which remains the longest non-scoring pass play in NFL history.

Jim Hart's Cardinals Stats

Year	G	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
1966	1	0	0–0	4	11	29	0	0
1967	14	14	6-7-1	192	397	3008	19	30
1968	13	12	8-3-1	140	316	2059	15	18
1969	9	5	2–3	84	169	1086	6	12
1970	14	14	8-5-1	171	373	2575	14	18
1971	11	9	2-6-1	110	243	1626	8	14
1972	6	3	2–1	60	119	857	5	5
1973	12	12	3-8-1	178	320	2223	15	10
1974	14	14	10–4	200	388	2411	20	8
1975	14	14	11–3	182	345	2507	19	19
1976	14	14	10–4	218	388	2946	18	13
1977	14	14	7–7	186	355	2542	13	20
1978	15	15	6–9	240	477	3121	16	18
1979	14	13	3–10	194	378	2218	9	20
1980	15	15	5–10	228	425	2946	16	20
1981	10	9	3–6	134	241	1694	11	14
1982	4	0	0–0	19	33	199	1	0
1983	5	3	1–2	50	91	592	4	8

Former Cardinals quarterback and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (left) talks with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald prior to a 2018 game against the Broncos. Warner and Fitzgerald are the best in team history at their respective positions / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1. Kurt Warner

• Years With the Cardinals: 2005–09
• Regular Season Record: 27–30
• Playoff Appearances: 2008–09
• Playoff Record: 4–2
• Pro Bowl: 2008
• Major Awards: NFL Hall of Fame (2017), Cardinals Ring of Honor, NFL Man of the Year (2008)

Kurtis "Kurt" Warner is the only Cardinals quarterback to ever appear in the Super Bowl. Warner built his Hall of Fame credentials with the Rams, then closed out his brilliant career in five seasons with the Cardinals. Teaming up with several other offensive forces, Warner led Arizona through an improbable playoff run to reach the 2008 Super Bowl, thereby cementing his legacy as the best quarterback in franchise history.

The first three years of Warner's tenure with the Cardinals were up and down, as he was never solidified as the starter. That changed in 2008 when he gave fans a season to remember. He fell just short of the franchise's single-season passing yardage record, but he did set a since-broken team mark with 30 touchdown passes to get Arizona into the playoffs as a wild-card team.

Over the first three rounds of the postseason, Warner threw eight touchdowns, and he beat the rival Eagles in the NFC championship game. In Super Bowl XLIII, Warner threw for 377 yards, but the Cardinals lost to the Steelers in a memorable matchup.

The 2009 season would be the last of Warner's career, but he made it count by pushing Arizona into the playoffs again. In the opening round of the playoffs, he passed for five touchdowns in the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history, a 51–45 overtime win over the Packers. The following week, Warner was injured mid-game in a loss to the Saints. Also that season, he became the second player in league history to throw 100 touchdowns for two different teams.

Warner stands fifth all-time in franchise history with 15,843 passing yards and 100 touchdowns. He completed 1,371 of 2,105 passes in an Arizona uniform. The top two single-game passing efforts of his career also came with the Cardinals. He threw for 484 yards against the 49ers in 2007, and he also posted 472 yards in 2008 against the Jets. He matched his career high with five touchdowns against the Bears in 2009.

Kurt Warner's Cardinals Stats

Year	G	GS	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
2005	10	10	2–8	242	375	2713	11	9
2006	6	5	1–4	108	168	1377	6	5
2007	14	11	5–6	281	451	3417	27	17
2008	16	16	9–7	401	598	4583	30	14
2009	15	15	10–5	339	513	3753	26	14

Honorable Mentions

Though most of the best quarterbacks in Cardinals history were featured above, there are a few more players who left an indelible mark on team history but didn't quite make the top five.

Kyler Murray (2019–present)

Kyler Murray has provided the Cardinals with a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with a bright future. Through three seasons, Murray has Rookie of the Year honors and a pair of Pro Bowl selections to his credit. He's thrown 70 touchdowns in three seasons and has a 22-23-1 career record. He has thrown for at least 3,700 yards each season, and in total has completed 1,057 of 1,581 passes for 11,480 yards. If he continues to play at this rate, it's likely he will soon break into the top five.

John "Paddy" Driscoll (1920–25)

John "Paddy" Driscoll holds the distinction of being the first-ever first-team All-Pro quarterback in NFL history after he helped the Cardinals to a fourth-place finish in the 1920 league standings. He also helped the team reach the controversial 1925 NFL championship and was considered one of the best all-around football players of the 1920s. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965, and he was named to the NFL's 1920s All-Decade Team.

Charley Johnson (1961–69)

When Charley Johnson left the Cardinals for the Oilers in 1969, he was the all-time franchise leader in all passing categories. After eight seasons with the Cardinals, he had completed 1,030 of 2,047 passes for 14,928 yards and 108 touchdowns, while also making the 1963 Pro Bowl. In 1964, he led the NFL in passing yards (3,045), but also interceptions thrown (24). He twice threw for six touchdowns in a game, tying the single-game franchise record in both the 1965 and '69 seasons.

Paul Christman (1945–49)

The quarterback for the 1947 NFL champions, Paul Christman provided the Cardinals a solid option at quarterback for five seasons. He completed 453 of 1,014 passes for 6,749 yards and 51 touchdowns for a team that primarily moved the ball on the ground. Christman completed a pass of at least 70 yards in all but one season in Chicago.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray throws a pass against the Falcons during a game at State Farm Stadium. He was named the NFL's 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year after breaking numerous franchise rookie records / © Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals Quarterback History and Trivia

There have been 62 quarterbacks to start a game for the Cardinals since Paul Christman led the franchise to the 1947 NFL championship. A quarterback has started every game of the season in just 21 of the 72 seasons since that title. Only Kyler Murray, Jim Hart, Neil Lomax and Jake Plummer have started every game of back-to-back seasons since Christman did it in 1946 and '47.

In 2019, Kyler Murray accomplished a first for a Cardinals quarterback by winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He was the No. 1 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he delivered a season that gave fans a lot of hope for the future. Murray was the first rookie in team history to start all 16 games, and he set franchise rookie records in numerous categories—including passing yards (3,772), touchdowns (20), completions (349), attempts (542) and completion percentage (64.4). He also added 544 rushing yards, the most ever in a season for an Arizona quarterback (he broke his own record in 2020 with 819 rushing yards).

What follows are a handful of facts and trivia about Cardinals quarterbacks, a look at the franchise passing records and a list of every quarterback for the team since its 1947 championship.

Who is the current starting quarterback for the Cardinals?

Kyler Murray will enter his third season as the starting quarterback for Arizona in 2022. He is backed up by Colt McCoy, who made three starts in 2021.

Who was the first quarterback for the Cardinals?

When the NFL was created in 1920, John "Paddy" Driscoll was the quarterback for the Cardinals. He was named a first-team All-Pro that season.

How many quarterbacks have the Cardinals drafted in the first round of the NFL draft?

The franchise has selected 10 quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL draft, including three with the No. 1 pick.

• 2019: Kyler Murray (No. 1)
• 2018: Josh Rosen (No. 10)
• 2006: Matt Leinart (No. 10)
• 1987: Kelly Stauffer (No. 6)
• 1977: Steve Pisarkiewicz (No. 19)
• 1965: Joe Namath (No. 12)
• 1960: George Izzo (No. 2)
• 1958: Stuart "King" Hill (No. 1)
• 1954: Lamar McHan (No. 1)
• 1937: Ray Buivid (No. 3)

Cardinals Quarterback Records

• Career Yards: 34,639, Jim Hart (1966–83)
• Single Season Yards: 4,671, Carson Palmer (2015)
• Single Game Yards: 522, Boomer Esiason (Nov. 10, 1996–OT)
• Career Touchdowns: 209, Hart (1966–83)
• Single Season Touchdowns: 35, Palmer (2015)
• Single Game Touchdowns: 6, Charley Johnson (Sept. 26, 1965; and Nov. 2, 1969) and Jim Hardy (Oct. 2, 1950)
• Career Completion Percentage: Kurt Warner, 65.1% (2005–09)
• Single Season Completion Percentage: Kyler Murray, 69.2% (2021)
• Single Game Completion Percentage: Warner, 92.3% (Sept. 20, 2009)

Former Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton was never a regular starter, but he had a winning record in spot starts between 2014 and '17 / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals Quarterback Stats

Player	From	To	G	Record	Comp	Att	Yds	TD	Int
Kyler Murray	2019	2021	46	22-23-1	1057	1581	11480	70	34
Colt McCoy	2021	2021	8	2–1	74	99	740	3	1
Josh Rosen	2018	2018	14	3–10	217	393	2278	11	14
Sam Bradford	2018	2018	3	0–3	50	80	400	2	4
Mike Glennon	2018	2018	2	—	15	21	174	1	0
Blaine Gabbert	2017	2017	5	2–3	95	171	1086	6	6
Drew Stanton	2014	2017	26	9–4	241	472	2901	15	15
Logan Thomas	2014	2014	2	—	1	9	81	1	0
Carson Palmer	2013	2017	60	38-21-1	1373	2197	16782	105	57
Ryan Lindley	2012	2014	9	1–5	134	264	1314	2	11
Brian Hoyer	2012	2012	2	0–1	30	53	330	1	2
Kevin Kolb	2011	2012	15	6–8	255	436	3124	17	11
John Skelton	2010	2012	20	8–9	320	602	3707	15	25
Derek Anderson	2010	2010	12	2–7	169	327	2065	7	10
Max Hall	2010	2010	6	1–2	39	78	370	1	6
Richard Bartel	2010	2011	3	—	26	50	236	1	2
Tim Rattay	2007	2007	4	—	15	27	164	3	3
Matt Leinart	2006	2009	29	7–10	340	595	3893	14	20
Kurt Warner	2005	2009	61	27–30	1371	2105	15843	100	59
Shaun King	2004	2004	3	0–2	47	84	502	1	4
John Navarre	2004	2005	2	0–1	32	64	342	2	5
Jeff Blake	2003	2003	13	3–10	208	367	2247	13	15
Josh McCown	2002	2005	33	10–12	498	862	5431	25	29
Chris Greisen	1999	2000	5	—	7	16	69	1	0
Dave Brown	1998	2001	16	3–4	126	243	1442	4	9
Jake Plummer	1997	2002	84	30–52	1540	2754	17622	90	114
Kent Graham	1996	1997	18	5–9	276	524	3032	16	12
Boomer Esiason	1996	1996	10	3–5	190	339	2293	11	14
Dave Krieg	1995	1995	16	4–12	304	521	3554	16	21
Stoney Case	1995	1997	5	0–1	30	57	335	0	3
Mike Buck	1995	1995	4	—	20	32	271	1	0
Jay Schroeder	1994	1994	9	5–3	133	238	1510	4	7
Jim McMahon	1994	1994	2	0–1	23	43	219	1	3
Steve Beuerlein	1993	1994	25	9–12	388	673	4709	23	26
Chris Chandler	1991	1993	22	5–12	322	566	3592	19	19
Stan Gelbaugh	1991	1991	6	0–3	61	118	674	3	10
Timm Rosenbach	1989	1992	26	5–15	295	551	3676	16	24
Gary Hogeboom	1989	1989	14	5–8	204	364	2591	14	19
Shawn Halloran	1987	1987	3	1–1	18	42	263	0	1
Sammy Garza	1987	1987	2	0–1	11	20	183	1	2
Cliff Stoudt	1986	1988	33	0–4	115	205	1289	9	15
Scott Brunner	1985	1985	16	—	30	60	336	1	6
Neil Lomax	1981	1988	108	47-52-2	1817	3153	22771	136	90
Rusty Lisch	1980	1983	23	—	12	30	134	1	5
Mike Loyd	1980	1980	5	0–1	5	28	49	0	1
Steve Pisarkiewicz	1978	1979	9	2–2	62	138	785	3	7
Bill Donckers	1976	1977	6	—	6	6	54	0	0
Dennis Shaw	1974	1975	5	—	4	8	61	0	1
Gary Keithley	1973	1973	14	1–1	32	73	369	1	5
Gary Cuozzo	1972	1972	8	1–5	69	158	897	5	11
Tim Van Galder	1972	1972	5	1-3-1	40	79	434	1	7
Pete Beathard	1970	1971	13	2–3	67	158	1144	8	13
Jim Hart	1966	1983	199	87-88-5	2590	5069	34639	209	247
Terry Nofsinger	1965	1966	8	1–4	76	182	846	3	9
Buddy Humphrey	1963	1965	12	0–3	62	117	832	2	9
Charley Johnson	1961	1969	87	36-28-5	1030	2047	14928	108	110
Sam Etcheverry	1961	1962	28	5–8	154	302	1982	16	21
Ralph Guglielmi	1961	1961	9	3–2	56	116	927	5	8
George Izo	1960	1960	2	1–0	10	24	115	0	0
M.C. Reynolds	1958	1959	19	1–5	124	234	1751	15	12
King Hill	1958	1969	44	3–8	104	246	1245	8	20
Ted Marchibroda	1957	1957	7	—	15	45	238	1	5
Paul Larson	1957	1957	5	—	6	14	61	0	1
John Roach	1956	1960	32	4-7-1	109	245	1763	19	23
Ogden Compton	1955	1955	9	0–1	22	61	339	1	6
Lamar McHan	1954	1958	60	15-33-2	433	1012	6578	50	77
Jim Root	1953	1956	20	1-6-1	108	249	1482	11	16
Steve Romanik	1953	1954	14	2–3	86	196	984	6	14
Ray Nagel	1953	1953	4	0–2	30	62	192	0	5
Don Panciera	1952	1952	10	0–1	35	96	582	5	9
Frank Tripucka	1950	1952	19	3–3	69	149	1004	6	8
Jim Hardy	1949	1951	30	4–8	236	521	3193	30	47
Charley Eikenberg	1948	1948	9	—	6	19	116	3	2
Charley Trippi	1947	1955	99	5–12	205	434	2547	16	31
Paul Christman	1945	1949	50	—	453	1014	6749	51	69