Editing Arizona Cardinals (section)

=== Chicago Cardinals (1920–1959) ===
{{Main|Chicago Cardinals}}
[[File:Morgan athletic club team.jpg|thumb|left|The Morgan Athletic Club (pictured c. 1900), predecessor to the Arizona Cardinals|191x191px]]

The franchise dates to 1898, when a neighborhood group gathered to play on the [[South Side, Chicago|South Side]] of [[Chicago]], calling themselves the '''Morgan Athletic Club'''. Chicago painting and building contractor [[Chris O'Brien (American football)|Chris O'Brien]] acquired the team, which he moved to [[Normal Park|Normal Field]] on Racine Avenue. The team was known as the '''Racine Normals''' until 1901, when O'Brien bought used jerseys from the [[University of Chicago]]. After he described the faded [[maroon]] clothing as "[[Cardinal (color)|Cardinal red]]", the team became the '''Racine Street Cardinals'''. Eventually in 1920, the team became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which was rechristened the [[National Football League]] (NFL) two years later. The team entered the league as the Racine Cardinals, but changed their name to the '''Chicago Cardinals''' in 1922 to avoid confusion with the [[Racine Legion|Horlick-Racine Legion]], who entered the league the same year.<ref>{{Cite book|title = To the NFL: You Sure Started Somethin': A Historical Guide of All 32 NFL Teams and the Cities They've Played In|last = Griffith|first = R.D.|publisher = Dorrance Publishing|year = 2012|isbn = 978-1434916815|page = 2}}</ref>

==== NFL champions (1925) ====
In [[1925 NFL season|1925]], the Cardinals were [[1925 NFL Championship controversy|awarded the NFL Championship]] after the [[Pottsville Maroons]] were suspended for playing a game in what was deemed "another team's territory."<ref name="q935">{{cite web |title=Fleming: Cardinals/Pottsville curse |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?columnist=fleming_david&id=3222796 |website=[[ESPN]] |date=2008-01-30 |last1=Fleming |first1=David |access-date=2024-07-31}}</ref> Having beat the Cardinals in a head-to-head game earlier in the season, the Pottsville Maroons won their extra game against the [[University of Notre Dame]], helping them finish the year with the same record as the Cardinals. The Cardinals were also guilty of breaking NFL rules by scheduling two additional games against the Hammond Pros and the Milwaukee Badgers, both of whom had already disbanded for the season. The game against the Badgers spurred a scandal when the Badgers filled out their roster with four high school players, in violation of NFL rules.

==== NFL Champions (1947) ====
During the post-[[World War II]] years, the team reached two straight NFL finals against the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], winning in [[1947 NFL Championship Game|1947]] (eight months after [[Charles Bidwill]]'s death) but losing the following year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Championship - Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Cardinals - December 28th, 1947 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194712280crd.htm |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Championship - Chicago Cardinals at Philadelphia Eagles - December 19th, 1948 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/194812190phi.htm |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> In the late 1950s, after years of bad seasons and losing fans to their crosstown rivals, the [[Chicago Bears]], the Cardinals were almost bankrupt, and owner [[Violet Bidwill Wolfner]] became interested in moving the team to a new city.