GLENDALE – The NFL schedule release has evolved into something far bigger than dates and kickoff times. It has become a cultural event where teams compete for attention, creativity, and momentum before a single snap is played, and according to Pat McAfee, the Arizona Cardinals “lost the schedule release.”
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Feb 7, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; McAfee on the Pat McAfee Show set on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Pat McAfee roasts the Cardinals’ schedule release:
Everybody is saying that the Arizona Cardinals lost the schedule release 😂😂 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/O1m4LBctId
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 15, 2026
On The Pat McAfee Show, one of ESPN’s most influential daily sports programs, McAfee and his crew ranked the best and worst schedule release videos across the league. The Cardinals landed at the bottom. The criticism wasn’t limited to the video itself, which was widely mocked online for its bland AI-heavy presentation and lack of originality, but expanded into the larger outlook surrounding the franchise. The show highlighted Arizona’s difficult 2026 path, including projections that list the Cardinals as underdogs in all 17 games. They also highlighted that the team has zero primetime appearances.
May 8, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck (19) during rookie minicamp at Dignity Health Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
That combination created a damaging national narrative in real time. For Cardinals fans, schedule release videos are supposed to generate optimism and identity. Instead, Arizona’s release became a symbol of the disconnect between the organization and its audience. The Cardinals’ rollout ironically felt corporate and forgettable in a media environment that rewards authenticity and creativity.
May 8, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) during rookie minicamp at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
McAfee’s comments carried weight because his platform influences how casual fans view teams nationally. When one of sports media’s biggest voices says a franchise “lost” the offseason’s biggest social event, it sticks. For the Cards, that reaction may say more about the current state of the franchise than the actual schedule itself.
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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
