Cardinals Owner Bill Bidwill Passes Away

Sad news out of Arizona, as Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill has passed away at the age of 88, the team announced in a release.

Bidwill’s father originally bought the team in 1932, and Bidwill has been the sole owner since 1972. His son Michael Bidwill serves as the team’s president and runs the franchise day-to-day. “Our dad passed away today the same way he lived his life: peacefully, with grace, dignity and surrounded by family and loved ones,” Michael said in a statement. “We are overwhelmed by the support our family has received, not only now but throughout the latest chapter of his life. We are especially grateful to the nurses, doctors and other caregivers whose endless kindness and compassion in recent years have made our dad’s life so meaningful.”

Above all else, we will remember him as a man devoted to the three central pillars of his life – his immense faith, his love for his family and his life-long passion for the Cardinals and the sport of football.

The team also released a video tribute on Twitter, narrated by Larry Fitzgerald. Arizona’s release notes that Bidwill was an “early proponent of front office minority hiring in the NFL,” and that “in 2004, Bidwill promoted Rod Graves to General Manager and named Dennis Green head coach, making the Cardinals the first franchise with minorities in both posts at the same time.”

All of us at PFR send our thoughts and condolences to the Bidwill family.

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