Arizona Cardinals to induct Bill Bidwill into Ring of Honor

The Arizona Cardinals will induct their late owner Bill Bidwill into the Ring of Honor at halftime of the first game of the 2022 NFL season.

From the team:

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that the team will induct former owner BILL BIDWILL into its Ring of Honor during a ceremony that will take place at halftime of the team’s regular season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 11 at State Farm Stadium.

Bidwill, who passed away in October of 2019 at the age of 88, had a life-long association with the Cardinals which spanned eight decades. After his father, Hall of Fame owner Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. purchased the team, Bill worked as a ball boy when he was a child. Upon graduating from Georgetown University and serving proudly in the United States Navy, Bidwill took on a full-time role with the Cardinals in 1960.

While well-known for his understated nature and a preference for staying out of the spotlight, “Mr. B” was recognized often for his contributions and accomplishments as Cardinals owner. In 2017, he was enshrined in the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame which honors those who have made significant contributions to state’s athletics community. In 2010, Bidwill was inducted into the Sports Faith Hall of Fame in Lake Forest, IL. At its December 2010 commencement exercises, Northern Arizona University awarded Bidwill an honorary doctor of humane letters degree for “his contributions to the university, his community and his profession.”

During his time as owner, Bidwill was also at the forefront of diversity in employment practices, which was evidenced by the hiring of the NFL’s first African American female executive (Adele Harris), first African American contract negotiator (Bob Wallace) and first African American head coach/GM tandem (Dennis Green and Rod Graves). In 2015, the team established the Bill Bidwill Coaching Fellowship to increase diversity and provide opportunities to gain NFL coaching experience. At the 2010 annual NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Bidwill was honored with the Paul “Tank” Younger Award from the Fritz Pollard Alliance, whose purpose is to promote diversity and equality of job opportunity in the NFL.

Bidwill will become the 19^th individual inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor. Created in 2006 to coincide with the opening of State Farm Stadium, the Ring of Honor currently includes Charles W. Bidwill, Sr. (Owner), Jimmy Conzelman (Coach), T Dan Dierdorf, HB John “Paddy” Driscoll, HB/DB Marshall Goldberg, WR Roy Green, QB Jim Hart, CB Dick “Night Train” Lane, HB Ollie Matson, HB Ernie Nevers, QB Carson Palmer, S Pat Tillman, HB Charley Trippi, QB Kurt Warner, CB Roger Wehrli, CB Aeneas Williams, S Adrian Wilson and S Larry Wilson.

Congratulations to Mr. B!