Arizona Cardinals picked last in NFC by NFL executives in new report

The Arizona Cardinals were ranked last in the NFC by anonymous NFL executives as Week 1 of the 2026 season nears.

Sep 3, 2026, 7:19 AM

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Jacoby Brissett #7 of the Arizona Cardinals looks on from the sidelines during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. Cowboys won 34-13. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

With Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season around the corner, the Arizona Cardinals were picked by NFL executives as the last-ranked team in the NFC, according to a new article in The Athletic written by Mike Sando.

Six executives were polled, with three voting that Arizona would finish 16th out of 16 teams in the NFC, and the other three voted it would finish 15th.

The Atlanta Falcons received the other three 16th place votes but also received a 14th place vote, putting the Cardinals dead last in the conference in both median and average scores.

When asked to place each NFC team into four tiers — Super Bowl contenders, division contenders, sub-.500 teams and top-10 pickers in the 2027 draft — all six executives declared Arizona in the “top-10 picker” tier. The team finished 3-14, last in the NFC, in 2025.

Sando noted how excitement over rookie running back Jeremiyah Love has quieted as he enters Week 1 questionable with an ankle sprain.

The executives in the article were granted anonymity. They expressed hope for the offense under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur, albeit with a capped ceiling having quarterback Jacoby Brissett at the helm.

“Mike LaFleur is at least an offense-oriented head coach out of the McVay system, so there is going to be something there,” one exec said in the article.

“I love Jacoby as a guy, but if you’re going into the season with him as your starter, that’s kind of where your season’s going to be,” another exec said.

The Cardinals will begin their 2026 season on Sept. 13 when they play the Los Angeles Chargers on the road.