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The latest episode of Folktales delves into the story of Violet Bidwill, the first female owner in NFL history

November 6, 1988. The Cardinals first season in Arizona. Down 23-0 in the second half to the eventual Super Bowl champs. No prayer? Or no problem?  The once and future Cardiac Cards had an answer for the 49ers: ride the Jet Stream, aka Roy Green, to victory.

It's the authentic, genuine, pure, bona fide, very true story of the time Big Red was birdnapped back in 2004 -- and the race against time to get him back. A mystery turned Folktales episode.

Kurt Warner came to the desert hoping to resuscitate his career, only to look retirement in the eye after the Cardinals drafted Matt Leinart. But Warner's belief in himself never wavered, and eventually the Cardinals saw what Warner knew all along -- he still had Hall of Fame play left in him.

The Cardinals have been around for more than 100 years and despite significant changes in football uniforms, the team has remained steadfast in preserving its iconic colors and rich history, a commitment that extends to our latest uniform unveiling in 2023.

Arizona Cardinals Kicker Jay Feely recorded 25 points against the Denver Broncos in 2010 to help end a seven-game losing streak. Hear from former teammates and coaches including Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, John Skelton and Ben Graham. Folktales Season 2 episode 5 is presented by 72 Sold.

Kwamie Lassiter's remarkable four-interception performance ignited the Arizona Cardinals to victory over the San Diego Chargers in week 17 of the 1998 season, sending the Cards to the NFL postseason for the first time since relocating to AZ. The safety's legacy on the field was just the tip of the iceberg, as Lassiter made an enormous impact on his teammates, his family and the community - up until the day he passed away in 2019.

A Minnesota win in Sun Devil Stadium would mean a playoff spot for the Vikings and the number one pick in the 2004 Draft for the Arizona Cardinals. That fate appeared all but sealed until the final moments. What happened next thrust an unlikely hero into the spotlight.

In November of 2015, Carson Palmer was under center for a thrilling victory in Seattle, where the Seahawks were previously unbeaten under Pete Carroll in prime time games. But it was backup quarterback Drew Stanton who stole the show as the Cardinals celebrated the win.

On September 26, 2010, LaRod Stephens-Howling - nicknamed "The Hyphen" - was about to kick-start the Cardinals in their home opener. Little did he know that his explosive play would lay the foundation for a future home.

Who could have made this weather forecast: One of the NFL's foremost warm-weather teams managed to lose themselves in 2008 on a snowy day in New England, only for the Arizona Cardinals to find themselves again in the cold and rain, leading to the perfect night in Tampa.

The Cardinals reached their first Super Bowl in 2008, but to get there, the "worst team in playoff history" had to go through a nasty day in New England, and the wake-up call that came from it.

When the Arizona Cardinals went to New Orleans in 2013, the storyline was the return of rookie safety Tyrann Mathieu. When the game with the Saints was over, it was another defensive back -- Rashad Johnson -- who was in the spotlight. Johnson and, of course, his nine remaining fingers.

"They are who we thought they were... and we let 'em off the hook!"

Dennis Green believed in his heart his Arizona Cardinals were just as good if not better than the undefeated Chicago Bears in 2006. The Cardinals played like it, at least most of the game, until it unraveled in the end. Afterward, Green couldn't hold in his anger and produced one of the most famous postgame tirades in NFL history

The 2009 NFC Wild Card Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers was one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history, with star QBs in Kurt Warner and Aaron Rodgers and more than 1,000 yards of offense. It had drama and overtime, and in the end, a game-winning play made by a scrappy down-the-depth chart cornerback - former safety Mike Adams - who lived up to his nickname.

All Arizona Cardinals safety Tim McDonald wanted was to be paid. And he happened to mention that to his agent while being followed around by a Hollywood filmmaker who was planning on making a movie about an NFL agent and an NFL player. Add in the perfect setting with the Cardinals' practice facility and a dose of Tom Cruise, and 'Jerry Maguire' was born.

The Arizona Cardinals needed a stadium, and worked hard to get Prop. 302 on the ballot. Two days before the vote, the team produced an unlikely win -- with their future Hall of Fame cornerback making a record-tying play -- to perhaps give the cause the little extra boost it needed.

The Arizona Cardinals were having a dream season, but in the 2015 Divisional Playoffs against the Packers, chaos broke out, with a Hail Mary and a Hail Larry sandwiched around a crazy coin toss in an epic victory.

Jake "The Snake" Plummer already had rock-star status in the Valley when he was playing for Arizona State, nearly winning a national title. The Arizona Cardinals needed a quarterback, so who better to draft than the talented kid who the fanbase already loved?

On a historic night in Mexico City, Arizona Cardinals safety Robert Griffith ran out during pregame introductions carrying the Mexican flag, much to the delight of 103,000 watching at Estadio Azteca. The iconic moment kicked off a memorable win over the 49ers on Oct. 2, 2005, and ushered in the international era for the NFL.

On a hot desert evening in September of 1997, the Cardinals came up with an improbable win over the bully Dallas Cowboys. The victory resonated so much it lead to an impromptu victory parade down nearby Mill Avenue with a very special guest -- the goalposts through which the game-winning field goal traveled.

It had been 13 years since Pat Tillman left behind the final locker of his four-year NFL career. On a February day in 2015, it was seconds away from being demolished as part of a renovation.

You can't spell HISTORY without STORY. Eleven unbelievable true narratives of some of the most memorable Cardinals moments are coming to you this fall. We proudly preview Cardinals Folktales.

The Cardinals sought a new QB and a little magic when they took Jake Plummer

Violet Bidwill was the first female owner in the NFL, winning a title in first year

In first year in the Valley, a stunning rally over the 49ers nearly started amazing debut season

The true story of the abduction of beloved Big Red

Kurt Warner's career was nearly over in Arizona - until he authored his final act

The Cardinals have had their look evolve over their 100-plus seasons

In a year when the Cardinals offense struggled, kicker had game of his life

Safety has game of his life with four interceptions in playoff-clinching 1998 win

Griffith provided iconic moment as Cardinals ushered in era of NFL international play

Nate Poole becomes unlikely hero in 2003 finale that impacted the playoffs, the draft, and Larry Fitzgerald

In one of the Cardinals' biggest wins in Seattle, a backup QB went viral

The quiet running back goes 102 yards for a touchdown and an unbelievable prize

The story behind saving a piece of Pat Tillman's legacy

How rough loss in brutal New England, and days that followed, shaped a Super Bowl run

Safety Rashad Johnson makes big sacrifice in effort to make tackle for Cardinals

Cardinals' hard loss on 'Monday Night Football' was memorable, but not as much as Dennis Green after the game

In a playoff game of 1,000 yards and two future Hall of Fame QBs, the smallest guy on the field makes the biggest play

The Cardinals and their practice facility are at the heart of the movie 'Jerry Maguire'

With stadium election looming, Aeneas Williams comes up with iconic play

A crazy Cardinals' playoff win over the Packers, and a memorable overtime coin toss 

Upset of Cowboys in 1997 ends with caravan down Mill Avenue

When the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1988, there was a major buzz around the Valley of the Sun. A high-powered offense led by quarterback Neil Lomax and wide receiver Roy Green gave Phoenix Cardinals fans many exciting moments during their debut season, none more thrilling than an epic second-half comeback against the loaded San Francisco 49ers. Paul Calvisi tells the story of how the Cardinals erased a 23-0 third-quarter deficit to stun the eventual Super Bowl Champs at Sun Devil Stadium. What followed was a major gut punch that would put a premature end to Lomax's career.

Kurt Warner arrived in Arizona in 2005 looking to revive his career in search of the same glory he achieved with the St. Louis Rams. The two-time MVP and Super Bowl winning quarterback had to prove himself all over again. Warner overcame the odds, silenced his doubters, won the starting job and eventually led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance. Paul Calvisi details the ups and downs of Kurt's career in Arizona, an improbable era that sealed his position in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

S2, E3 - Kwamie Lassiter the football player may be best remembered for his four-interception game that helped send the 1998 Cardinals to the playoffs for the first time since arriving in Arizona. Kwamie Lassiter the man will be remembered for much more. Paul Calvisi explores Lassiter's path to a successful NFL career, his larger-than-life personality, the special relationship he forged with Pat Tillman, teaming with his wife Ericka to be champions in the community and his tragic passing in 2019. Lassiter's legacy lives on through The Kwamie Lassiter Foundation which focuses on Sickle Cell awareness and educational resources for those who need it most.

S2, E2 - The final game of the 2003 season against the Vikings was expected to be a formality for the Cardinals. It was anything but that. Paul Calvisi tells the story of an unknown receiver making the biggest play of his life while sending shockwaves through three NFL markets and significantly altering the 2004 NFL Draft. In a matter of seconds, Nathan Poole won the game for the Cardinals, pushed the Packers into the playoffs and broke the hearts of the Vikings and their fans.

S2, E1 - Former Cardinals running back and kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling made several incredible plays during his four seasons in Arizona, but it was a kick return during the 2010 season that had the biggest impact. In the Cardinals' home opener against the Raiders, 'The Hyphen' took the opening kickoff to the house and won a house for a local couple. This is the story of how the stars aligned that September afternoon to allow a kick return to produce big returns for Cardinals fan Dave Johnson and his wife Darci Nimz.

Ep. 11 - When the 2008 Cardinals were dismantled by the Patriots in wintery conditions, many experts gave Arizona a snowball's chance in hell to succeed in the playoffs. After some brutal practices in the rain, the newly-focused Cardinals played well in the season finale before going on an epic run to earn a spot in Super Bowl XLIII. Paul Calvisi details the journey from nightmare roadtrip to the biggest stage in sports.

Ep. 10 - In 2013, former Cardinals safety Rashad Johnson lost more than a football game in New Orleans. He literally lost a part of himself. Paul Calvisi tells the tale of a bloody glove, severed fingertip and viral tweet that made for one of the most bizarre stories in NFL history.

Ep. 9 - When it comes to epic postgame rants, you can go ahead and crown Dennis Green's "The Bears are who we thought they were" tirade from 2006. Paul Calvisi explores several different layers of Denny's monumental meltdown that followed a truly remarkable Monday Night Football game against the Bears. How did the Cardinals blow a 20-point halftime lead? Did Green actually call his shot before meeting the media? And what exactly did he mean? Countdown to meltdown in 3-2-1.

Ep. 8 - In the 2009 NFC Wild Card game, the Cardinals and Packers lit up the scoreboard thanks to epic performances from QBs Kurt Warner and Aaron Rodgers. However the game was decided on defense when the smallest player on the field came up with the biggest play of his life. Paul Calvisi tells the story of Money Mike Adams who was able to overcome several miscues to lift the Cardinals to an overtime victory in one of the greatest postseason contests of all time.

Ep. 7 - Get your popcorn ready! This is the story of the Oscar-winning movie Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and the Arizona Cardinals. Yes, that's right. The Arizona Cardinals. Paul Calvisi rolls out the big red carpet all the way back to 1996 when the Cardinals were featured on the silver screen in the blockbuster film still known for its one-liners. You'll learn how the Cardinals became involved in the film's production and which former player inspired one of the best known movie lines of all time.

Ep. 6 - Did the longest fumble return touchdown in NFL history do more than help win a game for the Cardinals? When Aeneas Williams went 104 yards, did the Cardinals legend carry more than a football across the goal line? Paul Calvisi takes you back to the turn of the century when the Cardinals needed a home to call their own as well as a big win at the ballot box.

Ep. 5 - What's the flippin' story behind the coin that didn't flip?  Paul Calvisi gets to the bottom of one of the most notable coin tosses in NFL history. Was it physics? Magic? Or was it just another crazy Cardinals-Packers playoff game? Find out how referee Clete Blakeman's coin managed to become a part of NFL legend and lore.

Ep. 4 - Paul Calvisi takes us back to 1997 when the Arizona Cardinals took a chance on local ASU legend Jake Plummer. Going into the NFL Draft, the Cardinals needed more than a franchise quarterback, they needed an identity. This is the story of how Jake 'The Snake' brought a new energy to the Cardinals and delivered a playoff appearance in just his second NFL season.

Ep. 3 - Paul Calvisi relives the Cardinals historic road trip to Mexico City in 2005 and how the team ushered in a new era of NFL regular season games being played in foreign countries. Plus, Calvisi examines how the Cardinals won the game while winning over the Mexican fans, who set an all-time NFL attendance record.

Ep. 2 - Paul Calvisi takes us down memory lane to highlight a historic victory over the rival Dallas Cowboys in the 1997 home opener. What made this win different from others? Well, jubilant Cardinals fans rushed the field, tore down the goalposts and marched them to Mill Avenue and beyond. Where did the goalposts wind up? Which famous Cardinals player saw his brothers dangling from the goalposts? And why does the win qualify as a genuine turning point in team history?

Ep. 1 - Paul Calvisi tells the incredible story of how one longtime Cardinals employee managed to save Pat Tillman's final locker from destruction during 2015 renovations. Find out where the locker is now, why it serves as inspiration to his former teammates and what Tillman's legacy means to the people who knew him.

You may think you know the whole story, but you don't. Cardinals Folktales gives new life to 11 unbelievably true tales in team history through the personal recollections of the people who were there for each incredible moment. The series premieres on September 8.