DALLAS – Before the Cardinals settled into Glendale, the desert rivalry between Arizona and the Dallas Cowboys was born under the blazing Tempe sun. Back in the days when the Cardinals played at Sun Devil Stadium, Cowboys games felt like civil wars. Most of the stands were draped in blue and silver, the hometown faithful in Cardinal red, each side staking its claim in a football frontier. Dallas had their history of winning, and Arizona… not so much.
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Oct 20, 2002; Tempe, AZ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Arizona defensive back Coby Rhinehart (23) tackles Dallas receiver Darnay Scott (85) at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys were dubbed, “America’s Team.” and had a massive fan base behind them. The Cards were still finding their home turf and identity. Yet those meetings in the old NFC East left scars and stories that endure. Fans who grew up in the Valley during the late 1980’s – early 2000’s remember it well: the voices of a belittled fanbase echoing through a home game, the feeling that Arizona football was fighting for recognition in its own city.
Sep 7, 1997; Tempe, AZ, USA; FILE PHOTO; Arizona Cardinals receiver Frank Sanders (81) celebrates a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Past Cardinals/Cowboys matchups that stood out:
Now, decades later, the matchup still carries emotional weight. For long-time Cardinals fans, beating Dallas isn’t just another win; it’s validation. A reminder that Phoenix’s football culture has matured. For longtime Cards fans, no matter what the records are, beating the Cowboys has something more to it. Whether it is the 1996 close loss to Dallas that featured the Cowboys star Deion Sanders and Arizona’s Boomer Esiason, the Cardinals’ overtime blocked punt in 2008 by Sean Morey that led to an incredible win, or even Kyler Murray’s recent streak at AT&T Stadium, those moments will forever live with Cardinals fans.
Jan 2, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) is tackled by Arizona safety Budda Baker (3) in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Rivalries like this don’t fade; they evolve. For the Cards, every meeting with Dallas remains a proving ground for pride, history, and belonging in the NFL’s ever-shifting landscape. On Monday night, another chapter will be written between these two storied franchises, and if recent history holds up, Arizona might be in the running for a victory tonight.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
