There are now 60 days remaining until the Arizona Cardinals play on Monday Night Football to begin their 2014 regular season.
Naturally, that means we will look at No. 60 and its history with the team.
The number is currently worn by center Tommie Draheim. He was injured during mini-camp, but was the number two center for most of the offseason. He was added to the practice squad last November. His NFL career has been spent bouncing from practice squad to practice squad. He was undrafted out of San Diego State (Ryan Lindley knows his backside well) and has has spent time on the practice squads of the Seahawks, Jaguars, Patriots and Chiefs.
Before Draheim, it was worn by defensive lineman Ricky Lumpkin in 2011. He would later wear 95. He never appeared in a game in 2011, but played in one game in 2012. He spent time on the practice squad during both seasons. He was cut in the preseason last year and landed with the Raiders. He is probably most remembered for a personal foul penalty in the preseason of 2012 against Matt Leinart.
Center Kristofer O'Dowd also wore 60 in 2011. He was on the practice squad.
Center Nick Leckey, drafted in the sixth round in 2004 by the Cardinals, wore 60 for three seasons. He started 20 games in three seasons for Arizona.
Another center, Mike Gruttadauria, wore 60 from 2000-2002.He had played four years for the Rams and was the starting center for the Super Bowl winning team in 1999. The Cardinals signed him to a four-year contract and he struggled with injuries. He missed half the season in 2000 with knee and neck injuries. He started 15 games in 2001, but then missed eight games in 2002. He was cut after the season. He never played again.
Defensive end Tom Burke, who played four seasons for the Cardinals, from 1999-2002, wore 60 in 1999. He was a Cardinals third round pick in 1999.
From 1994-97, it belonged to guard Anthony Redmon. Arizona drafted him in the fifth round. He started 46 games in four seasons and played three more seasons in the league.
Before that, it was worn by Willie Williams, who was on the team for one season. He was drafted in the ninth round of the supplemental draft in 1990. He was a 6-6 tight end out of LSU. The Cardinals moved him to tackle and let him sit for a season. He played all 16 games in 1991, starting three. He even caught a pass for a touchdown as a tackle eligible.
In 1987-88, defensive tackle Steve Alford wore 60. Drafted in the eighth round in 1987, he played only two seasons in the league, both for the Cardinals. He played in 27 games, starting 16 and collecting 3.5 sacks.
Clearly, the number has not been impressive in its years in Arizona.
Here are the rest:
1983-86 -- DE Al Baker (He was very good. He had 37.5 sacks in four seasons.)
1980-81 -- G Barney Cotton
1973-78 -- T/G/DT Roger Finnie (He was the starting left tackle on the 1975 line that gave up a record-low eight sacks on the season)
1972 -- G Conrad Dobler (He wore 60 his rookie season and then 66. He was a starting guard on the team for six seasons and known as the dirtiest player in the league.)
1971-72 -- LB Jim Hargove
1963-69 -- LB Dave Meggyesy
1955 -- G Harry Thompson
1952-54 -- Gordon Polofsky
1951 -- DE/LB Tom Bienemann (He wore 82 five seasons after that)
1950 -- DE Bob Shaw
The history before Arizona is much better.
Tomorrow we start in the 50s with some linebackers.