ARIZONA CARDINALS

Carson Palmer remembers drinking beer with ‘cool dude’ Kliff Kingsbury

Sep 29, 2019, 12:48 PM | Updated: 6:48 pm

(Left: Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Right- Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)...

(Left: Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Right- Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Left: Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Right- Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s first memory of Carson Palmer is being intimidated by a God-like quarterback at the 2003 Senior Bowl.

Carson Palmer’s first memory of Kliff Kingsbury is having a beer with a “cool dude” — before the quarterbacks hit the field at the pre-draft event.

“You go into this room when you check in and there’s a handful of other guys there: (quarterbacks) Kyle Boller, Chris Simms, Kliff, myself, ” Palmer said Sunday before the retired quarterback was inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor. “They put you in a room where there’s beer on tap. I think Kliff and I were the only two like, ‘You know, it’s there for a reason, right?’

“And everybody else was like, ‘Oh, no it’s a test. There’s cameras, there’s hidden cameras.’ Kliff and I, I think, would get along really well away from the game, away from football.”

Coming out of college, Palmer was coming off a Heisman-winning season having completed 63% of his passes for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Kingsbury had quite a few accolades himself. At Texas Tech in 2002, he threw for 5,017 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Still, he went into Senior Bowl preparation in awe of Palmer, who was about to become the Cincinnati Bengals’ pick to kick off the 2003 NFL Draft.

“I remember walking out the first day and it’s just like this Greek god throwing lightening bolts. Like, this is not going to be a good week for me, next to him,” Kingsbury said before this season began.

“Phenomenal talent. I mean, like, if God made a quarterback, how it’s supposed to look, how he’s supposed to throw, how he’s supposed to drop, great charisma, personality.”

Array
Presented By
Western Governors University

Presented By
Western Governors University

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

2 days ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

2 days ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

3 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

3 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

3 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

3 days ago

Carson Palmer remembers drinking beer with ‘cool dude’ Kliff Kingsbury