Rookie of the Year winners have been long term successes for the Cardinals

Kyler Murray was announced as the 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year on Saturday night at the NFL Awards ceremony.

Murray joins an accomplished list of two other Arizona Cardinals (well not technically all Arizona based Cardinals) to win the award.

Ottis Anderson took home the hardware in 1979 after a season that included a first team All Pro and Pro Bowl nod.

Anderson would be the first Cardinal in history to win the award and his career would be a long and prosperous one.

Anderson nearly averaged 1,000 yards a season in his eight seasons with the Cardinals in St. Louis, finishing with 7,999 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns in 99 career games with the Cardinals.

He then went to the New York Giants and only had one more 1,000 yard season, but was the main force behind a second Super Bowl win in 1991 for the Giants. Anderson rushed for 249 yards and a touchdown and carried the load in the Super Bowl win over the Bills, rushing 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown in the Scott Norwood game.

Anderson would finish his career with 10,273 yards and sits 30th on the all-time career rushing list.

Anquan Boldin won the award in 2003 and finished his career with three Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl ring.

Boldin, my favorite Cardinal ever, had seven 1,000 yard receiving seasons and was a key instrument in the Baltimore Ravens 2012 post season run.

Boldin had 380 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the Ravens journey to a Super Bowl win. Boldin even put a six catch 104 yard and a touchdown performance in the Super Bowl.

We all hope Murray follows a similar path of success, multiple Pro Bowls and Super Bowl wins.

The biggest difference we hope, for Murray over the others will be that the ultimate success, a Super Bowl win comes in a Cardinals uniform.

Giving the team their first in franchise history.

He’s on a path that has shown to be a recipe for success, let’s hope that ultimate success comes in Arizona.