Two national TV games, including a road "Monday Night Football" contest against the Cowboys and a home Thursday game against the Seahawks, highlight the Cardinals' 2025 schedule.
The Packers, meanwhile, visit Arizona on Oct. 19.
The Cardinals head into their 20th season at State Farm Stadium with significant expectations and want to build on a home-field advantage that allowed them a 6-3 record in Arizona last season. The team opens in New Orleans; the home opener is Week 2 against the Panthers on Sept. 14.
To celebrate and commemorate the moment, Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. recorded a rap single, "18 Bars," for the schedule release, as well as shooting a video for the song.
A look at the full 2025 schedule [DOWNLOADABLE SCHEDULE HERE]:
WEEK 1
Sept. 7 CARDINALS at SAINTS 10 a.m. (CBS)
The first thing I think is that there is no colder press box on Earth than that of the Caesars Superdome. I know, I know, everyone feels so sorry for me. Bigger picture, New Orleans has been a tough place for the Cardinals to play over the years, including Kurt Warner's last game ever back in the 2009 playoffs. But these Saints are in the middle of a rebuild, unsure of their quarterback situation (it could be Scottsdale Desert Mountain High School's Tyler Shough) and not where the Cardinals are at this point. Bourbon Street, right out of the box. But a good opponent if you're looking for a quick start to 2025.
WEEK 2
Sept. 14 PANTHERS at CARDINALS 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
OK, the Panthers made the effort to get better on defense. But James Conner would've had 200 yards last year in Carolina if he hadn't gotten hurt, and the resulting painful overtime loss to the Panthers all but ended the Cardinals' playoff hopes. Payback isn't really a thing, but then again, maybe it will be. Former University of Arizona star Tetairoa McMillen will be in town, so maybe some rookie-on-rookie matchup with cornerback Will Johnson will be on tap. Whatever progress Bryce Young has made, Kyler Murray still gets the checkmark in the QB comparison.
WEEK 3
Sept. 21 CARDINALS at 49ERS 1:25 p.m. (FOX)
Putting too much stock into strength of schedule based on the previous season is always dangerous. But the reality is the 49ers are, based on 2024 records, playing the weakest schedule in the NFL. That gives them a boost when it comes to trying to bounce back from their lousy 2024. That said, the Cardinals swept the 49ers last season and have built an even better team, while the Niners, given a need to shed players for salary cap reasons, likely have taken a step back. WInning division road games is crucial if a team is interested in winning a division. The test comes early.
WEEK 4
Sept. 25 (Thursday) SEAHAWKS at CARDINALS 5:15 p.m. (Prime Video)
The Cardinals haven't played on a Thursday night since 2022. You remember -- then-Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson's gymnastics-flip into the end zone on a pick-6 helped Andy Dalton become a meme. This one will be important on the short week, given that both the Cardinals and Seahawks are trying to show their worth in the NFC West race. Always better if you're gonna have a short week to play at home; that should help. Although to be factual, the Cardinals have played the Seahawks three times on "Thursday Night Football" and all have been losses: 2013, 2017, and 2020 (the first two at home.) This is a big one.
WEEK 5
Oct. 5 TITANS at CARDINALS 1:05 p.m. (CBS)
The No. 1 overall draft pick will visit State Farm Stadium. Quarterback Cam Ward barely got any headlines around the draft, in part because he was picked by Tennessee and in part because there was another quarterback story that dominated the headlines (perhaps you noticed that too.) Whatever Ward might become, this is the kind of QB that an improved defense like the Cardinals should feast upon. They will have to deal with new Tennessee receiver Tyler Lockett, with whom the Cardinals know well from his decade with the Seahawks.
WEEK 6
Oct. 12 CARDINALS at COLTS 10 a.m. (FOX)
There was hope this game would be in Germany. (OK, I was hoping.) Alas, no, it's the Falcons that will take the Colts home game in Berlin, and the Cardinals will head instead to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Some St. Elmo's steaks and Daniel Jones under center -- or maybe it's still Anthony Richardson. It'll be Marvin Harrison Jr.'s first game in the city that his father became a Hall of Fame receiver. Wouldn't be a bad time for a huge stat line.
WEEK 7
Oct. 19 PACKERS at CARDINALS 1:25 p.m. (FOX)
So are you watching this game for Melton v Melton, part II? Or is it the potential return of Isaiah Simmons? OK, OK. Maybe it's just to see if the Cardinals can play the Packers better than they did a year ago, when things got sideways in Green Bay. The Packers ended up drafting wide receiver Matthew Golden, the guy (way too many) people mocked to the Cardinals pre-draft. But again, the Cardinals have a defense better suited to handle QB Jordan Love this time around.
WEEK 8
BYE WEEK
A true midseason bye -- OK, more or less, since there are 17 games and there aren't any byes coming at halftime of the ninth game of the season -- and the earliest the Cardinals have had one since 2020 when it was also Week 8. Every other bye since 2019 has been Week 11 or later. Remember 2001, when the NFL had an odd number of teams and the Cardinals bye was literally Week 1? Yes, I was around for that.
WEEK 9
Nov. 3 (Monday night) CARDINALS at COWBOYS 6:15 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)
A reminder: Kyler Murray has played at JerryWorld (AT&T Stadium) eight times in his football life dating back to high school. He has won at AT&T Stadium eight times. That alone makes this fascinating, and we haven't gotten to a potential Paris Johnson Jr.-Micah Parsons matchup, or Josh Sweat facing off against one of the teams of which he is most familiar with his years in Philadelphia, or the questionable Cowboys secondary finding a way to cover Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. It's the Cowboys. It's always a big game, regardless of what those Cowboys exactly look like in the moment. And in the spotlight of Monday night!
WEEK 10
Nov. 9 CARDINALS at SEAHAWKS 2:05 p.m. (CBS)
The trip to Seattle always has meaning, and the Cardinals will want to avenge a disappointing showing there last year. Sam Darnold was in a different uniform last season when the Cards saw him in Minnesota, but Nick Rallis' defense played well against him that day. For the first time in a long time, Cardinals cornerbacks won't see DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett, both of whom have moved to the AFC.
WEEK 11
Nov. 16 49ERS at CARDINALS 2:05 p.m. (FOX)
The Cardinals come off a road trip to Seattle for back-to-back division games, and Brock Purdy gets one of his homecoming games. It's fair to assume he will have gotten his big contract extension by this time. No more Deebo Samuel for the Niners, who are trying to rally from a last-place finish. The Cardinals would rather not have them get off the mat.
WEEK 12
Nov. 23 JAGUARS at CARDINALS 2:05 p.m. (FOX)
With Travis Hunter coming to town, the Cardinals should honor Roy Green this week and make the point the franchise already had a two-way star. It's been a minute since the Jaguars have come to the desert. The last time, it was Calais Campbell's first year not playing for the Cards and he returned in 2017 only to be handed a loss. Now Campbell is back playing for the good guys, so maybe he can chip in a sack of Trevor Lawrence and raise that home winning streak against the Jaguars to two. (This is only the third time the Jags have ever visited the Cardinals.)
WEEK 13
Nov. 30 CARDINALS at BUCCANEERS 11 a.m. (FOX)
It's another round of Kyler Murray v Baker Mayfield, the one-time college teammates who have battled three earlier times in the NFL. Every time, in 2019, 2021, and 2022, Murray emerged as the victor. That's gotta chap the hyde of Mayfield, who like Murray burns to win. The Bucs continue to be in the playoff mix every year thanks to Mayfield and coach Todd Bowles -- who has his own Cardinals ties -- but this is the kind of two-day road trip the Cardinals have to find a way to win.
WEEK 14
Dec. 7 RAMS at CARDINALS 2:25 p.m. (FOX)
The Cardinals don't see their rival until late in the season, so it's the first shot to see new Rams wideout Devante Adams and old quarterback foe Matthew Stafford. Last season when the Rams visited State Farm Stadium Marvin Harrison Jr. had a coming-out party, and the hope is MHJ has those kinds of games on a near-weekly basis. Los Angeles did beef up their pass rush in 2024; it'll be interesting to see, now that the Cardinals have done the same for their defense. Still, a rivalry is a rivalry, so we'll see how this all plays out.
WEEK 15
Dec. 14 CARDINALS at TEXANS 11 a.m. (FOX)
These two teams will forever have their link, thanks to their 2023 draft trade that allowed Houston to take Will Anderson and the Cardinals to snare Paris Johnson Jr. and Darius Robinson. Anderson has had a great start to his career but Johnson has been pretty good too and Robinson is ready to show something after an injury-riddled rookie year. Big picture, however, this game will provide a litmus test for the Cardinals over where they are at Year 3 of their rebuild, against a team that quickly got themselves off the mat.
WEEK 16
Dec. 21 FALCONS at CARDINALS 2:05 p.m. (FOX)
Young Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. showed some flashes last season. But this is why you build up the front seven of your defense like the Cardinals have done. Atlanta will want to use Tucson's own Bijan Robinson in their trip back to the desert (the last time they were in town, it was Kyler Murray's triumphant return from his ACL injury) but whose upgrade will prove better? The Cardinals, with Josh Sweat and everyone they have added, or the Falcons, who took two first-round edge rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pierce Jr.?
WEEK 17
Dec. 27/28 CARDINALS at BENGALS TBD
The Bengals decided to spend a ton on keeping both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins happy and well paid at wide receiver, although their defense remains mostly in need of help. (They do have former Cardinal Marco Wilson in the secondary.) Does it make this battle in Cincy a shootout? Joe Burrow remains one of the best in the league and he was fantastic in 2024. This feels like a James Conner kind of game, where the Cardinals try to play keep away. Especially if it is a bit chilly in Ohio post-Christmas.
WEEK 18
Jan. 3/4 CARDINALS at RAMS TBD
There are those who believe the Cardinals and the Rams are the two teams most likely to battle for the NFC West title this season. If true, and if the season plays out correctly, that would make the season finale in Los Angeles a titanic clash. Does MHJ or Trey McBride or James Conner over 1,000 yards? Maybe Josh Sweat is at 12 sacks by now. Better yet -- maybe the Cardinals have already clinched a playoff berth going into this game. That'd make for a happy new year.
PRESEASON OPPONENTS
WEEK 1 Aug. 7-10 CHIEFS at CARDINALS TBD
WEEK 2 Aug. 14-18 CARDINALS at BRONCOS TBD
WEEK 3 Aug. 21-24 RAIDERS at CARDINALS TBD
